A Second Chance Or A Final Goodbye
by Rain446
Summary: How does a person who's lost everything, including the will to live, pick up the pieces? With the help of a group of strangers Jasper is about to find out. Will he be able to escape his past or will it destroy them all? AU, All Human. Mostly canon pairings. Character death. Rated M for language and violence.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello all. First fanfic, go easy on me okay. This story is rated M for language, violence, and self harm so if you are easily triggered you probably shouldn't read it. The rest of you please enjoy. Reviews and constructive criticism are very welcome because I am really trying to improve._

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He barely felt anything anymore.

It was as though his mind was in a fog, there was no more sadness, no more pain. He was content with the fact that it was almost over, he was almost free. He wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore.

It had taken more time than he thought it would, ending his wretched life. Before he found the fog he'd had time to think. He realized that he should have done this a hell of a lot sooner. The world was better off without him in it anyway. It wasn't like he had ever positively contributed to it in the first place. He was sixteen years old and the only thing that he had ever given man kind was another scumbag polluting the streets. Those had been his fathers words to him only a few hours ago and they seemed to fit perfectly.

Before he had gotten to this point he had believed that everything had started going wrong on the day his mother died. Now however, he knew that it really started the day he was born.

His whole life his father had despised him. The only thing that changed when his mother was gone was that the man could now act freely upon that hatred.

In the early days it was subtle. His father would ignore him completely when mom wasn't around. He would be left at school when his father conveniently forgot to pick him up. The man would push him when his mother wasn't looking and whisper cruel comments on anything that he did including schoolwork and any sports he took part in. All of this before he was even six years old. He never really thought much on it due to the fact that things got serious when his mother was gone. It was as though all of his fathers hatred and anger was directed at him.

When before the abuse was merely emotional, it became physical as well. The man would drink and then beat the shit out of him. Unfortunately it was pretty much a daily occurrence and the severity of the attacks varied from a punch to the face to having to stay home from school for a week so you can stand again without passing out. He soon realized that if anyone found out what was happening to him he would be put into the foster system and in truth that scared him more than his father. He decided that he would have to become a part of the background. Not stand out, become invisible. He was damn good at it to. He did whatever he had to do to survive. Doing this had its disadvantages as well. He was a complete outcast that no one really cared about.

He did have 'friends' if you could call them that. He lived in the 'shit hole' part of town populated by the drug dealers, prostitutes and any other poor degenerates that had nowhere else to go and this meant that he was one of them.

He hung out with the regulars, he even made a few runs for one of the dealers. A man named James. It was the only way that he could get the money he needed to keep him and his poor excuse for a father in the shack they lived in.

Suffice it to say his life was total crap. The only thing that kept him going, the only reason that he had not ended it was Alice. She was his light in the darkness, his only reason to live. He had met her for the first time when her family moved into the house across the street from his when he was seven years old. She was six at the time and despite her poor living conditions and young age she seemed to be an eternal optimist. She could find the bright side of any situation and more importantly she could actually make him smile. She was his other half and they were rarely separated. They had been best friends and when he was thirteen it had become more. He had loved her more than anything and despite the hell that was his life he was actually happy.

Then about two months ago it happened.

He blamed himself. He should have been there but his father wouldn't let him leave the house. It was after dark and he had told her never to come out to see him when it was dark. Whenever they were going to do something during the night he would go to her house and get her to make sure that she was safe. That was what he was supposed to do that night but his father had tried to make him cook dinner and when he refused another fight broke out. She had gotten worried about him and started to make her way across the street when the car peeled around the corner and ran her down like she was nothing. He had heard her scream from outside and then the screeching tires and he ran to the door as fast as his injured body could take him. When he got outside time seemed to slow down. Her body was lying on its side facing away from him on the sidewalk in front of his house. He did not even hear his father screaming at him as he ran to her. What he saw made his heart stop and it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Her left arm and right leg were broken and twisted at horrible angles but the sight that burned itself into his brain was her beautiful face which was now barely recognizable because of all the blood coming from the gash on her forehead. Her eyes were open, staring at the sky and to him her mouth seemed to be open in a silent scream. Because of his negligence he had lost the only person he had that meant anything to him and it broke his heart and any willpower he had left.

Alice's parents moved away about a month after it happened and it was as though she was never there. He was a broken shell of what he once was and he didn't care about anything anymore.

Life went on, the beatings continued although it seemed with a new severity to them. He missed more school and he even started doing the drugs he was supposed to be delivering. He just didn't care anymore. He began having nightmares almost every night. Seeing her bloody face over and over. He was never able to save her in his dreams and was forced to watch her die again and again. He found himself waking up covered in sweat and tears were in his eyes.

Because of these dreams he was exhausted and had trouble focusing which caused his relationship with his father to get worse and worse until that night when the bastard got home from work and they'd had their worst fight to date. His father actually pulled a gun on him. The man's last words to him before pulling the trigger were that he was just another scumbag polluting the streets and it was time to clean up.

He felt the bullet rip through the muscle and bone in his right shoulder before he made a break for the front door. All he could think about was getting away from his psychopathic father before the gun went off again. The next thing that he registered was the fact that he was stumbling down the deserted street losing way to much blood.

He didn't even know where he was or where he was going, the only thing that seemed to matter was that he keep walking.

Soon enough however he found that he couldn't keep going anymore. His vision was starting to get blurry and his legs were about to give out. He looked around slowly to find a place where he could sit down when he noticed a wall not to far away. He had no idea what building it belonged to only that it looked like a good place to rest for a while. He stumbled his way over to it and practically fell to the ground when he tried to sit. It took him a few minutes to get into a comfortable position against the wall and when he did he just let the tension leave his body.

He slowly released the hand that he had been holding against his wound so he could look at it. When he brought it to his face he saw that it was stained crimson with his blood and he found it fascinating to see. Then a thought popped into his head.

Why was he fighting? If he allowed this to happen it would be over and he could be with Alice again.

For the first time since she died he felt hope. He decided to move things along and grabbed a piece of glass that was on the ground beside him. He turned it over in his hands for a few seconds just looking at it before slowly bringing the sharp edge down to his left wrist. He made the cut swiftly and watched as the blood dripped to the cement. He then brought the glass over to his right wrist and made an identical cut. He couldn't hold his arms up any longer so he let them fall to the ground beside him. The glass fell with them and it dug into his right hand because of the impact with the cement but he didn't even feel the pain.

Then as he sat there his mind began to wander. He thought about the past and how he gotten to this point and he realized sadly that he probably wouldn't be reunited with Alice in heaven. He was to damaged, he had done to many horrible things to be forgiven. By doing this he was merely trading one hell for another.

He also realized that it didn't really matter. It was finally going to end and because of this he had no regrets. He was at peace as he felt the fog enter his mind and he no longer had to think about anything. He would soon be free. His last coherent thought as the darkness consumed him was ' see you in hell old man'.

Then there was nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

Pain. That was what woke him up.

He had no idea why he was in so much pain or even where he was. Jasper tried to move but found that he was unable to do so and he became frightened by this fact. He decided to try opening his eyes which ended up being a mistake. The light in the room was far to bright and he was forced to close them immediately. He opened his mouth to try and speak, to ask someone what the hell was going on, but only a faint groan passed his lips. It was then that Jasper realized how thirsty he was and his throat was totally dry so he couldn't say a word. The decision he then made not to panic was a good one because it allowed him to listen to the voices in the room.

"At least we finally managed to stop the bleeding. That damn bullet did a lot of damage. Unfortunately I don't think that he will ever regain full mobility in his right arm. Did you get a hold of his family yet?"

"No. There is no answer at the residence listed on the student I.D card in the kids wallet. I did manage to get a hold of CPS and they are sending someone over."

"Good. Maybe they'll have better luck."

"Hey, do you think that I should get Dr. Irina down here. I mean the wrist wounds were self inflicted right? Add to that all of the scars and obvious signs of abuse. He must have some major issues."

"We'll wait until he wakes up for that. I don't want to throw to much at him at once. First we need to know what happened to him in the first place. The police are really wanting some answers."

He couldn't believe what he just heard. Lose full mobility in his arm? Being shot? CPS? What the hell had he gotten himself into and where the fuck was his father? At the thought of his dad everything suddenly came back. The fight. The gun. The glass. By the sounds of things he was in a hospital. Which meant that someone had found him and his suicide attempt had failed miserably. Now he was going to have to answer a ton of questions that were better left unasked. There was also the problem of child protective services being involved. He tried to concentrate on the voices again. There was now a new one added.

"Dr. Cullen?"

"Yes?"

"There is someone from CPS here to see you."

"Thank you Kate. Tell them that I'll be right out."

"Wow that was fast. I just phoned them five minutes ago."

"Maybe they already had someone in the building. Well, at any rate, I had better go and see them. In the meantime, Garrett could you take him upstairs into recovery."

"Sure thing Dr. Cullen. I'll make sure he's taken care of."

"Thank you Garrett."

Jasper heard a set of footsteps moving away. He then unfortunately started to feel light headed and within moments, despite the pain he was still in, he was unconscious once more.

He was awakened some time later by raised voices. It sounded like an argument of some kind. He tried to focus his exhausted mind on what was being said.

"I said wake him up now Dr. Cullen. Upon investigation of the kids house we found it ransacked and the boys father is nowhere to be found. If that man did indeed do this then he is dangerous and must be apprehended immediately."

" I am sorry Charlie but I will not wake him up no matter the reason. This child has been shot and lost an enormous amount of blood. He needs to rest."

"Listen Carlisle if you don't do it then I will. Do you understand."

"That is enough Chief Swan. As the representative from CPS I am responsible for Mr. Whitlock's well being and forcibly waking this child is definitely not going to happen."

" With all due respect Renee…"

"That is Mrs. Charles to you Mr. Swan and with all due respect to you, you will not question this boy until he awakens on his own."

"Fine. As soon as he is awake Carlisle call me immediately."

"Okay Charlie I will."

A set of angry footsteps moved away from him and he held back a smirk. He had always enjoyed hearing a cop being told off.

"Thank you for that Mrs. Charles."

"Oh it's no problem Dr. Cullen and please call me Renee."

"Alright Renee and feel free to call me Carlisle."

"At any rate Carlisle, do believe that he will awaken anytime soon?"

"Unfortunately no. That is all up to him."

Well he was definitely getting bored of all the mindless chatter and decided that he had better face the music. Its not like a person can play at being unconscious forever. He mentally prepared himself before once again attempting to open his eyes. The light was still to damn bright. He closed them again and proceeded to try and wet his dry throat enough so he could speak. It took a few seconds but soon he felt like he could give it a try. He knew that the two people were still in the room because he hadn't heard them leave yet. He then gave it his best shot.

"Hey…doc. Think you…could dim…the lights a bit?" His voice was completely hoarse and he could barely hear himself let alone know if anyone else heard it.

"My goodness he's awake!" That was definitely the female. At least they managed to hear him. Seconds later two pairs of footsteps approached the bed.

"Jasper? Jasper can you hear us?" The doctor this time. He couldn't speak. He wasn't deaf.

"Yeah. Dim…lights." A pair of footsteps retreated and then returned a minute later.

"It's alright now Jasper. Try opening your eyes." Well obviously.

He slowly opened his right eye and then his left. Everything was blurry for a few minutes. He could just barely make out the shapes of two people standing on either side of his bed. They remained silent as his vision adjusted and a few minutes later he was face to face with a man and a woman. The man looked to be about 5'7 or 5'8 with short blond hair and green eyes. The guy looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. The woman was 5'5 or 5'6 with shoulder length brown hair with brown eyes and she looked to be in her late thirties. They both looked like they hadn't slept in a while and they could definitely use a couple coffees in his opinion.

"Who the hell…are you people and…where am…I?" Before he was forced to answer any of their questions they were going to answer some of his. He watched as the two of them looked at each other before the doctor spoke.

"My name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen and my associate is Mrs. Renee Charles and you are presently in Seattle Memorial Hospital Mr. Whitlock."

Unfortunately he had already figured most of that out on his own. Damn, that's one question wasted. He started to ask another when he realized that he really wanted a drink first.

"Hey could I…get a glass of…water?" It was like his throat was made of sandpaper.

"Of course you can Jasper. One second okay?"

He watched as the doctor walked over to the sink. He then turned his gaze to the woman. Renee Charles from CPS. Guess what lady? You are definitely not getting anything out of me. She was watching him intently but he just decided to ignore her. The doctor returned to give him the water. He reached out his right hand to grab it when he noticed the bandage. He'd almost forgotten that he had cut his hand. Jasper suddenly found it very hard to remove his eyes from the wounded appendage, he became fixated on the remembered pain, until he heard the doctor cough and he glanced back up at the man. He had clearly made the two of them uncomfortable and, strangely, he found that fact amusing. He reached up with his left hand this time and took the glass. The water was delicious. He chugged it down as if he hadn't drank anything in a week. Now that he thought about it, he had no idea what day it was or how long he had been there. Next question decided.

"How long have I been here exactly?" He was pleased that his voice sounded a hell of a lot better. Still extremely weak and quiet but at least it was easier to talk now. The two of them glanced at one another before the doctor responded to his question.

"You have been here for about four days Jasper. Actually, I am amazed that you are even awake considering how much blood you lost." The mans voice grew very quiet at the end. He knew it was because the guy was uncomfortable with the reasoning behind the blood loss.

"Yeah. My will to live is astounding isn't it?" He laced his words with as much sarcasm and bitterness as he could. Then he closed his eyes again. Sleep was all that he really wanted to do at the moment.

"Hold on one moment Jasper. I know that you are probably very tired…" 'No shit lady,' he thought to himself, "…but we need you to stay awake just a little longer."

He already knew the answer but decided to ask anyway. "Why?" He never opened his eyes as he spoke.

"The police have a few quick questions for you." It was the doctor this time and the guy seemed hesitant about asking this.

"A few questions huh. About what exactly?" Making these people squirm was to much fun. Opening his eyes he noticed that they both looked so uncomfortable that he couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Then he realized that that was exactly what they felt towards him. They felt sorry for him and his shit life. If there was one thing he couldn't stand it was people feeling sorry for him. He didn't need or want their sympathy. The fun had gone out of this little exchange.

"Look I already know what the cops want alright. Why don't you people just let them know that I do not have shit all to say to them." Looking at the shocked expressions on their faces he had to try very hard to keep his expression stoic.

"What do you mean Jasper?" asked the doctor.

"What I mean doctor.. Is that I will not be talking to them anytime soon. End of story." There was no way that he would get away with not talking to the police and he knew it. He didn't have to make it easy though. The two of them looked at him like he was crazy and the sympathy never left their faces. He started to get angry.

"One more thing before I ask the two of you to leave. I do not want or need your sympathy so wipe those damn looks off of your faces and get the hell out." Despite the quiet tone of voice he got his point across. He closed his eyes again and did not see them leave.

He was jolted awake by a very loud bang. Wait, he didn't even remember falling asleep in the first place. The last thing he did remember was telling the doctor and the woman from CPS to leave and then nothing. What happened to talking to the police? Those people must have just let him rest. Well, he wouldn't be thanking them anytime soon. They were just playing nice to get him to open up and tell them what happened. Not going to happen. Anyway what the hell was that damn noise? There was a commotion coming from outside his room and a lot of loud voices. The door was closed so he was unable to hear what was being said but from the tone it sounded like whoever was speaking was really pissed off. Then they got closer. When Jasper realized who it was that was actually yelling he felt like he was going to throw up.

It was Henry. A.k.a, dear old dad.

He needed to get out of there. If his father was there things were going to get really bad. He felt a little stronger than he did the last time he was awake so he figured that he could just make a run for it. There was another door at the other end of the room. He could make it. Jasper looked down at his arm and quickly pulled out the I.V. Needles had never bothered him. Thinking that he could actually make it to the door turned out to be a huge mistake though. As soon as he swung his legs off the bed and stood up he got extremely dizzy and his vision got dark. Within moments his legs gave out and he fell ungracefully to the hard floor. He had tried to grab the bed rail with his right hand to stop his descent but he had no strength in his arm. It was then that he remembered that the doctor had mentioned that he had lost some function in his arm due to the gunshot. As soon as he hit the ground he just sat there, grateful that he hadn't smashed his head on the damn hospital bed, and waited for the dizziness to stop. Unfortunately time ran out, for his father chose that moment to burst into the room and slam the door closed behind him. Henry locked the door and completely ignored the angry voices on the other side. As he watched his father walk toward him he could hear them outside yelling.

"Mr. Whitlock! Open this door immediately! You were told you were not aloud to see your son until you answered a few questions! Open this door!" Clearly that annoying woman from CPS.

"Garrett go and get security up here." The doctor sounded really worried. He wondered why. He didn't have time to think on it too long. Henry was right in front of him.

"Look at you. You pathetic piece of shit. Lying on the floor like the garbage that you are." Same old bastard. He watched warily as his father bent down to his level. Henry grabbed him roughly by the collar of his hospital gown and gave him a look that was actually terrifying.

"Now you listen to me Jasper. If you tell anyone what happened I swear to God I will hunt you down and finish what I started. I won't be put in jail because of you. You hear me boy." He was to frightened to speak so he just nodded his head in compliance. The man had already shot him once. There was no doubt that the monster would actually kill him the next time.

"Good. You tell them that it was some scum off the street that shot you alright. They don't need anything more than that from you. Got it." He nodded once more. Henry then stood abruptly and yanked him roughly to his feet. He stumbled and started to fall again until his father shoved him back onto the bed. He fell backward and landed hard. His breathing was very labored and he was extremely dizzy again. Despite his earlier fear he glared angrily at the man. That was until Henry slapped him across the face.

"Don't you dare look at me like that again! Do you hear me Jasper." He held his hand to his left cheek and nodded. Henry then turned around and went to unlock the door. He watched as Renee Charles, Dr. Cullen, a large man with tousled black hair and two security guards entered the room. All of them looking angry and annoyed. He quickly lowered his hand away from his face and watched the group of adults all storm over to where his father calmly stood.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Mr. Whitlock?" Wow she looked really ticked off.

"I merely wanted to visit my son alone to make sure that he was alright. I was very worried about him." Jasper rolled his eyes at that statement. The bastard didn't give a damn if he was dead or alive. Then he noticed that Dr. Cullen was watching him so he quickly looked away and hoped that the guy didn't notice.

"Jasper!" He jumped a little when the doctor addressed him.

"What?"

"Why is your I.V out of your arm?" Oops. He had completely forgotten about that.

"Uh… I was trying to go to the washroom when I fell and it must have been pulled out." Over the years lying had become second nature to him. The doctor walked past his father, over to the bed and gently lifted his arm to reattach the I.V. He looked up at Carlisle and saw only kindness in his eyes and strangely it frightened him. Jasper looked away and found his father staring at him with utter hatred. Hatred he was used to… kindness, not so much. He looked down at his hands and just listened to the other people in the room.

"I am sorry Mr. Whitlock but your were told that you were to go straight to the police station. Guards please escort this man downstairs." He was briefly grateful to Renee for getting his father out of the room. He watched as Henry was led away and his body immediately relaxed. That was until his father turned around at the door and said, "I'll see you soon Jasper." The tension returned.

"Garrett would you call Charlie and get him to come here to pick up Mr. Whitlock and also let him know that Jasper is awake."

"Sure thing doc." He watched the large man with black hair leave the room. He was left alone once more with the doctor and Renee. He looked anywhere but at the two of them.

"Jasper are you alright?" He looked up at the doctor.

"Sure doc. I'm great." He was so tired of lying all the time. He really wished that the attempt to end it all had succeeded. He lay back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling. He felt someone sit down in the chair beside his bed but he did not acknowledge whoever it was.

"Jasper?"

"What do you want from me doc. I said I was fine alright." He was getting irritated. He heard footsteps approaching the other side of the bed and he turned to see Renee standing there looking at him.

"What do you want Mrs. Renee Charles from CPS." Her eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed like his non compliant attitude was starting to get to her. He didn't hold back a smirk this time.

"Mr. Whitlock despite what you may think is happening here I assure you that we are only trying to help you." Sure lady.

"Look Renee," the sarcasm was just dripping out now, "despite what you may think, nothing happened. I was stupid and allowed myself to be shot by some asshole. End of story."

"If that is really what happened Jasper then how do you explain the scars that cover most of your body hmm." It appeared as though she could use sarcasm too. She did have a point though. The scars would be harder to hide.

"I'm clumsy." It was the best he could come up with at the moment. Pretty pathetic.

"You're clumsy?" The disbelief in her voice was hard to miss, "That is the best you can do?" Sadness spread across her face as she slowly turned away from him. With her back to him she said one more thing before leaving the room.

"Do not worry Mr. Whitlock. We will get to the bottom of this and then you will get the help that you need."

"I don't need your damn help!" To late, she was already gone. He let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the doctor sitting beside him.

"And what do you want doctor Cullen?" Carlisle looked up at him slightly startled. It would seem that the guy had been thinking of something. The look on the guy's face as he responded was one of sadness. He hated the fact the all of these people kept looking at him like he was the most pathetic human on the planet. It may be true but that didn't mean they had to show it.

"I do not want anything from you Jasper except to know how you are feeling. You had said that you fell. Did you injure yourself any further than you already were?" The doctors tone was pure sympathy and it really pissed him off.

" I'm fine doctor. I don't need anything from you either." He turned his gaze back toward the ceiling. Carlisle stood slowly and made his way to the door.

"Unfortunately you need all the help you can get Jasper. Whether you want it or not." Carlisle spoke so low that he did not hear what was said but he didn't really care so he said nothing as the doctor left the room.

He spent the remainder of the time he had before Chief Swan showed up thinking about what he was going to say. If he messed up now his father would go to prison and that would only make thing a hell of a lot worse for him. He would wind up in some crappy foster home or worse, a group home, where he would be stuck with a bunch of other pathetic rejects like himself. Thinking about this started making him panic slightly.

The fear he had of the foster system stemmed from the horror stories his friend Peter had told him. Peter and his sister Charlotte had been in the foster system for most of their lives. Their parents had died when they were two years old. Peter had told him all about the different families and their kids. He had been told about the abuse the two of them had suffered at the hands of these so called caring foster parents. These people who thought they were helping by taking in children that had no one else, only to become monsters when things became to difficult. Peter had committed suicide at the age of fourteen and Charlotte had been shipped off to another home. He hadn't heard from her since. Jasper could not go into the foster system. He wouldn't. He would rather be dead.

That's it! He would rather be dead! The one way to avoid all of the unnecessary pain he would have to face. He would merely finish what he started. No more seeing the worried looks on strangers faces, no more dealing with his fathers crap. No more living in a world without her in it. No regrets.

A serene smile slowly spread across his face. He turned his head and looked around the room to see if there was anything that could help him. Then he spotted it. At the other end of the room there was a coffee machine with the coffee pot in plain sight. All he would have to do was break the pot and use the glass. Getting to it was a whole other issue. The last time that he stood up he fell straight to the floor in a heap. He would have to be very careful. Jasper pulled out the I.V again and proceeded to swing his legs off the side of the bed. So far so good. He shifted slightly so that he was right on the edge of the bed and then slowly lowered himself to the floor. No dizziness. Good sign. Once he was standing straight he let go of the bedrail and took a step forward. Everything was still okay so he took another step, then another until he found himself at the coffee machine. He reached out a shaky hand, grabbed the pot, and proceeded to smash it down onto the counter. It was pretty shabby workmanship because it broke on the first try. The glass spread out all over the counter and the floor. He grabbed the biggest piece and slowly made his way to the bathroom. It would take more time for someone to find him in there. Jasper went inside and closed the door behind him. He went over to the sink and briefly looked into the mirror. What he saw made him want to end it even more.

His blond hair was plastered to his head and it looked like it hadn't been washed in a month. His eyes were sunken and there were dark circles underneath them. There was no emotion in his blue eyes. They were clouded and dead. He was also very pale and he noticed how skinny he was becoming. The Jasper Whitlock looking back at him was a monster. A complete nobody that didn't have a single person that cared whether he lived or died. He sat down in front of the sink and held the broken piece of glass in his left hand. He squeezed it gently. Just enough to draw a little blood. He didn't even feel the pain. He didn't feel much nowadays. He lifted his right wrist and looked at it for a moment remembering what it felt like. The bandage covered most of the skin so he had to move it down slightly so he would have a place to cut. He brought the bloody piece of glass down to the exposed flesh and pressed down. The blood began to flow almost immediately and he watched it for a moment. He felt better already. Like a weight had been lifted. All the tension released. He started to move the glass over to his left wrist. Jasper placed the edge against the skin and was about to push down when the bathroom door was forced open. He looked up blearily and saw Dr. Cullen standing in the doorway with what looked to be pure horror on his face.

"Hey…doc. Can't a guy…get some…privacy around here?" Jasper looked back down at his wrist. The second cut barely breached the surface of his skin. He tried to push the glass deeper but a hand suddenly grabbed him roughly and forced the glass from his fingers. Then another hand grabbed his right wrist and just held it forcefully trying to stop the bleeding. He felt like he was about to pass out. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness was Dr. Cullen's voice.

"I need some help in here! Stay with me Jasper! Hold on! Everything is going to be okay!"

Jasper found it odd that a stranger he had just met…could sound so scared…


	3. Chapter 3

_Forgot to do this before so: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight, they all belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer, i'm just playing with them. No profit is being made._

_I want to thank those of you that have reviewed, they really made my day and i'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. This one is a bit of a filler chapter so its a lot shorter than the others. There is a lot more Jasper angst to come so look forward to it. Updates might come a bit more slowly now but my goal is at least once a week. If it is going to be longer i'll let you know. Enjoy._

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Carlisle sat down in his office and just stared down at the papers on his desk. He was severely troubled by what he had just witnessed and for the first time in a long time he didn't know how to proceed. Jasper Whitlock had just tried to kill himself for the second time in a week. Thanks to the fact that he'd forgotten some paperwork in the boys room they had been able to stop him in time but it was a near thing. Seeing Jasper trying to end his suffering in such a horrendous way broke Carlisle's heart and the only thing he wanted to do at the moment was to help the boy smile again. If something wasn't done immediately, Jasper wouldn't survive. With a sigh Carlisle reached for his phone. It rang three times before the person on the other end picked up.

"Hello?'

"Hi sweetheart." He said lovingly when he heard his wife's voice.

"Oh hi honey. What are you doing calling at this hour? I thought you would be doing your rounds?"

Carlisle couldn't help but laugh. Esme always seemed to know his schedule better than he did himself.

"I'm just taking a short break and thought I'd give you a call. How was your day?" When she didn't say anything he became concerned.

"Esme?"

"…Carlisle, what's wrong?"

"What?" Her question startled him. He thought he had been doing a good job of covering up his worry but he should've known better.

"You sound off dear. What has happened? What's wrong?"

He sighed again and rubbed a hand over his tired face.

"Nothing is wrong Esme. You worry to much."

"Do not lie to me Carlisle Cullen. If anyone in this family worries to much it would be you. Now tell me what has happened."

He laughed at her stubbornness before deciding to just tell her the truth. Talking to Esme always had a way of calming him down.

"Alright sweetheart, you win."

"I always do."

He laughed again before telling her what had happened. He left out a lot of details due to doctor patient confidentiality but she got the gist of it.

"Oh Carlisle, how awful. That poor child. Have you talked to Irina yet about a consultation?"

"I thought about it and I will have her talk to him but I want to wait until he is a bit more stable. The way things are now I doubt he would be very receptive to the idea. You should see him Esme…as soon as someone tries to help he shuts down almost immediately."

They both descended into silence, each consumed by thoughts of Jasper. Esme was the one to break it.

"Carlisle…I get the feeling that you have become very attached to this boy. Am I right?"

He was once again startled by her words. He barely knew Jasper. The boy had been unconscious for most of the time Carlisle had been looking after him and the few times he wasn't he'd basically told him to get lost. But still, Esme had a point. Seeing the boys struggles, watching the life start to fade from his eyes…Carlisle started to feel a connection to Jasper. The want to help was almost overwhelming. He himself hadn't exactly had an easy childhood but he'd made it out with the help of people who genuinely cared about him. Jasper had never had that but Carlisle was determined to make sure that he did now.

"I want to help him Esme." He could picture her smiling on the other end of the phone.

"I want you to do what you need to do honey. Edward and I are behind you all the way."

He was so lucky to have such a supportive wife and son.

"Thanks sweetheart. I was actually thinking of staying here tonight and maybe visiting him tomorrow on my day off. But that means I won't be able to go hiking with Edward."

"Don't worry about that Carlisle. Edward is right here and he says it's fine. Your son is proud of you for wanting to help."

A huge feeling of pride swelled up within him. His son was turning out to be a fine young man.

"Alright, I have to get back to work now. Tell Edward I will make it up to him and thank you Esme."

"Anytime dear. You take care of that boy okay. Tell him that I'm praying for him and I'll talk to you soon. I love you."

"Love you to sweetheart. Have a good night."

After hanging up Carlisle sat back in his chair and stared down at the papers lying there again. He now knew exactly what he had to do. Determination rose up inside of him and he forced himself out of his chair. He would take care of his rounds as fast as he could and then head back over to Jasper's room. Carlisle was going to make sure that Jasper knew he wasn't alone anymore.

Jasper was dragged from sleep by a strange feeling. Despite heavy eyelids he managed to open his eyes a crack and look around the room. It was completely dark so he couldn't see anything but he suddenly realized that something was touching his left hand. It was warm. Turning his head he could just barely make out a figure sitting in the chair beside his bed. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust but when they did he was startled to see that it was Dr. Cullen. His gaze was then drawn down to his hand and he realized that the warmth he had felt was from the doctor gently holding onto it. Jasper didn't really know what to make of this development and truthfully he was to tired to care. He was back asleep within minutes.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys, new chapter for ya. Your awesome reviews really motivated me so please keep them coming! So Jasper should be getting out of the hospital within the next two chapters, depending on how long I make them, so look forward to it!_

* * *

When Jasper woke up the next day he was different. He spent his time just staring up at the ceiling without saying a word. Whenever anyone tried to speak to him he would only answer yes or no…if he even answered at all. It was like he had just given up. Carlisle became increasingly worried and he made sure to post someone in the hospital room at all times. It was policy when dealing with suicidal patients. He had also set up an appointment for the following day for Jasper with the hospital psychiatrist Dr. Irina Clark. Unfortunately there wasn't much else he could do until Jasper decided that it was worth it to fight.

"Jasper? Would you like your lunch yet?" asked Carlisle softly. As usual there was no response so he placed the tray down on the table and then sat down in the chair beside the bed with a frustrated sigh.

"I don't wanna eat this hospital crap either."

"Sadly Garrett, I don't think that's the reason he doesn't want to eat…" Carlisle responded with a tired smile. He had made every attempt to get Jasper to eat breakfast that morning with no luck. He was hoping that lunch would be different but so far Jasper had not even acknowledged his presence.

"Come on doc, it's not like you haven't been trying. The kids just being stubborn." Garrett said as he came to stand by the bed. The tall brunette narrowed his eyes as he looked over at Jasper, who was still just staring up at the ceiling.

"Yup, definitely stubborn."

Carlisle shook his head and glanced down at his watch.

"Well, Charlie will probably be here any minute. You can head out now Garrett and thanks for sticking around for the last hour."

"No problem doc. My Katie doesn't get off work for another thirty minutes anyway."

Carlisle laughed as Garrett smirked mischievously before leaving the room.

"Finally…"

Carlisle's head whipped around at the unexpected voice.

"Jasper?"

The blond was staring at him with dull eyes. It was a scary contrast to the aggression that had been there only the other day.

"That guy is annoying doc…"

"He does have his moments but him being here is necessary Jasper. You understand that right?"

"Whatever…" Jasper mumbled and then turned his gaze back up to the ceiling.

"Jasper I need you to listen to me alright. Chief Swan is going to be stopping by and you need to tell him what happened to you."

"What happened to me…" he mumbled again before closing his eyes. Carlisle was about to respond when there was a knock on the door. Glancing once more at Jasper, Carlisle then got up and went to answer it. As expected Charlie was standing on the other side looking grim.

"Good afternoon Charlie."

"Carlisle." Charlie nodded in greeting and then moved past him into the room after closing the door behind him. "So how's he doing?"

Carlisle had contacted the police station that morning to let Charlie know what had transpired the previous day. In truth Charlie had been really shaken by it. He had a daughter Jasper's age and even the thought of her trying to take her own life scared the hell out of him.

"Still the same I'm afraid. He only answers questions with yes or no so anything you ask him should be phrased for those responses."

Charlie nodded again and headed for the bed. Jasper was paler than he'd been the day before and he just looked so frail. Charlie was afraid that anymore pain inflicted on the boy would shatter him into a million pieces.

"Hello Jasper. My name is Chief Swan, do you remember me?"

There was only silence and he was about to ask again when Carlisle indicated for him to wait. Then about a minute later Jasper opened his cloudy blue eyes and looked right at him.

"Hey there Jasper. Do you think you're up to a few questions?"

Suddenly the hospital room door flew open and Renee Charles stormed into the room looking extremely pissed off.

"What is the meaning of this?! I told you before Chief Swan that you were not aloud to question him without me being present."

Charlie rolled his eyes at her indignation.

"Jesus Renee, call me by my name. We were married for five years for god's sake. And I was just saying hello to the kid so calm down."

Renee looked even more annoyed but chose not to respond. Instead she walked over to stand beside Jasper's bed. Carlisle couldn't help but smile at their little exchange. The two of them had been divorced for over ten years now but their fights still reminded him of an old married couple.

"Jasper honey, you don't have to answer any questions if you don't feel up to it okay. Just let me know if you want to stop."

Jasper's eyes swiveled over to Renee briefly before shifting over to Carlisle. He was feeling a little overwhelmed by all the attention and strangely he felt that the doctor was the only one who would understand. And Carlisle did.

"He's alright Renee. Just let Charlie do his job."

Renee looked over at Carlisle with an uncertain expression before sighing in resignation.

"Okay Carlisle, if you say so." She then went to grab a chair and pulled it up to the right side of the bed. Carlisle went to stand beside her as Charlie stood on the left. Jasper's eyes followed all of the movement before finally landing on Charlie. It was time to face the music. He wasn't sure if he wanted to though. They would ask him questions about what happened and he was still unsure if he was willing to throw his father under the bus. He was just so tired of all of it. The lies, the beatings…the sadness…the failures. That's why he'd tried to kill himself again and not even that had worked. He was such a screw up at everything.

"Jasper we have heard your fathers account of what happened and now it's your turn. Are you willing to answer a few questions?"

Once again there was only silence. Charlie was getting frustrated now. He knew that the father had done the shooting but if Jasper didn't confirm it there was nothing he could do. These were the cases he hated the most. Blatant child abuse happening right in front of him and he was powerless unless the victim spoke up.

"Yes."

The answer was so unexpected that Charlie's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?" He asked in disbelief. Jasper just stared back at him; emotionless. Deciding that he would take the small win he proceeded with the questioning.

"Okay then. Jasper, was your father the person who shot you?"

'Way to go right for the throat', Jasper thought as he turned his gaze back up toward the ceiling. He now had a choice to make. Did he lie and try and go back to the way things used to be…which would probably end up in his death. Or did he tell the truth for once in his life and let the chips fall where they may?

"Jasper." Carlisle said softly when he noticed the hesitation. "Jasper, look at me please."

Still unsure, Jasper looked over at the doctor. Carlisle was watching him with kind eyes and it made him feel sick. No one had looked at him with that expression since…since Alice…

He swallowed back the pain that memory inflicted and tried to focus on the present.

"Jasper it's okay. You can tell the truth. I will make sure that your father can never hurt you again. So please, let us help you."

Carlisle's words sounded nice but there was no way that the man would be able to keep that promise. None of them knew what his father was capable of. In the end it wasn't Carlisle's words that decided things. It was the simple fact that Jasper realized that none of it really mattered anyway. So what if his father went to jail? So what if he went into foster care? In the end he always had an out…and next time he would not fail.

"Jasper, are you going to answer or not?" Charlie asked with a bit of impatience.

"Give him a moment Chief Swan. Do not force him or I will have you removed."

"Fine Renee but he is going to have to answer sooner or later."

Carlisle ignored the two of them and focussed only on Jasper's face. He saw the exact moment that the boy came to his decision but…if possible, Jasper looked even more depressed by it.

"Yes."

Everyone froze and concentrated once more on the boy in the bed.

"Yes you'll answer or yes your father shot you?"

"Yes…my father shot me…"

Carlisle sucked in a deep breath at the confession. It was one thing to suspect something so horrible but to actually have it confirmed, well, he wanted to do something violent toward the man.

"Okay Jasper," Charlie said as he pulled out a notepad, "I want you to walk me through what happened."

"Are you up for that Jasper?" asked Renee softly.

Jasper turned to her with an angry expression on his face.

"Would you stop asking me that!"

Renee's eyes widened in shock.

"Jasper I just-"

"Just what?! Just want to treat me like some broken piece of crap?! I told you before that I don't want or need your damn sympathy!"

Renee's mouth tightened into a thin line.

"Jasper you need to calm down. She is just trying to help you."

"No Carlisle, it's alright." Renee said calmly as she stood up. "I'll leave you to it then. I have plenty of paper work to take care of regarding your case anyway Jasper. The next time I come here I'll inform you of your future situation. Please get some rest."

Then with a quick nod to the three of them Renee left the room. Jasper immediately felt guilty and then annoyed at the fact that he felt that way. Once the door closed behind her he rubbed a bandaged hand over his tired face.

"That was uncalled for kid." Charlie said sternly.

"Yeah, whatever. Ask your damn questions."

Charlie glanced over at Carlisle, who was staring at Jasper with a concerned frown on his face, before sighing and opening his notepad.

"Alright then. How did the shooting come about?"

Jasper lowered his hand and thought back to that night.

* * *

_Walking in the front door Jasper had immediately known that things were gonna be bad. The whole place reeked of alcohol and he could hear mumbled curses coming from the kitchen. His father was home from work early and that was never a good sign. Knowing he would have to face the bastard eventually he made his way toward the kitchen. Henry was rooting around inside the fridge with a furious expression on his face. Whatever he was looking for he obviously didn't find because he proceeded to slam the door shut and kick it._

_"Dammit!" He swore loudly before turning away from the fridge. Unfortunately his gaze landed on Jasper standing in the doorway._

_"There you are you little piece of shit. Where the hell is all my damn beer?!"_

_Jasper rolled his eyes and decided that he was just wasting his time. He shook his head and started to leave the room._

_"Where the hell do you think you're going?!"_

_He was suddenly shoved form behind and fell forward onto the floor._

_"What the hell dad! You drank all your god damn beer you fucking alcoholic!"_

_Jasper froze after the words left his mouth. He couldn't believe he'd just said that. Normally he would have just apologized and went to buy some more booze. Very slowly he turned his head and looked back at his father in fear. Henry was staring down at him with an unreadable expression on his face._

_"Look I didn't mean that. I'm sorry, I'll go buy you some more okay. I'll go right now."_

_He scrambled to his feet and started running for the front door. Strangely Henry didn't follow and he actually made it outside. His heart was pounding and he was physically shaking. He looked back toward the house and couldn't detect any movement. Jasper let out a sigh of relief and decided that he would take his time going to the liquor store._

_An hour later he arrived back at the house with his fathers booze. He'd wandered around for awhile trying to give his father time to cool down or forget what happened and he figured an hour was enough time. The lights were still on inside which meant his dad was still awake. He'd kind of been hoping the man had passed out already. With a sigh he reluctantly headed inside. It was really quiet and it only made him more nervous. Then, just as he took his shoes off, his fathers voice came from the living room._

_"Come here Jasper."_

_His stomach clenched in fear at the calmness of his dads voice. He didn't have a choice though…he had to go or it would only be that much worse. Henry was sitting on the couch when he entered the room._

_"D-dad?" He asked softly as he approached. It was as Jasper got closer that he noticed his father was holding something in his hand._

_"Jasper. You have been a pain in my ass since the day you were conceived."_

_His father was very coherent despite being drunk and it just fueled his fear._

_"You never do what I fucking tell you to, you drink my fucking beer. You took your mother from me."_

_That pissed him off. His mother died of cancer, it wasn't his fault._

_"It's not my fault mom's dead! How is her dying of cancer my god damn fault?! And I didn't drink your beer! Look, I even bought you more!"_

_Henry pushed himself to his feet and it was then that Jasper saw what he was holding…a gun._

_"Worthless piece of shit…should've drowned you the day you were born…"_

_Jasper backed up slowly toward the front door._

_"Dad…please…"_

_Henry just looked at him with dull eyes and Jasper knew that his father was going to kill him._

_"You cost me everything, my wife, my job, my money. Worthless waste of air…"_

_"You lost your job? That's not my fault…please dad…it's not my fault…"_

_Henry kept advancing and Jasper could feel the tears start pouring down his cheeks._

_"Look at the baby cry. You're nothing Jasper. Just another piece of scum polluting the streets."_

_Henry lifted the gun and pointed it at him._

_"Oh god…please dad…please…"_

_Jasper's back hit the door frame and he was forced to stop. Henry stopped too and lifted the gun a bit higher._

_"I'm just cleaning up the filth…"_

_As soon as the shot went off Jasper was diving to the left and out of the room. He wasn't fast enough and the shot hit him in the shoulder. He fell to the floor hard but was soon scrambling to his feet and running down the hallway toward the front door._

_"Jasper!"_

_He could hear his father screaming at him but he ignored it and just kept on running._

* * *

"And that's about it." Jasper finished with a shrug. Charlie was still writing but his mouth was tightened into a furious line. Carlisle could not remove his eyes from Jasper's face. The entire time the boy had been talking he never even flinched. It was like he was talking about somebody else. To hear about the pain and fear he must have went through…to be shot by his own father…it broke his heart.

Jasper watched the chief writing down his traumatic event with little interest. The police man looked angry and he couldn't help but find it a little funny. What right did these people think they had to be angry on his behalf? They didn't know what he had done. They didn't know that he deserved every bit of this. If they knew, they would feel the exact same way.

"We're going to stop now Charlie."

Jasper jumped slightly at the doctors voice. He'd actually forgotten that he was in the room. And judging by the look on the mans face, that was a mistake. Carlisle looked determined…and that could only mean trouble. Charlie stopped writing and looked at Carlisle.

"Sure. I should have enough to arrest him now anyway."

Then he turned his attention back to Jasper.

"Jasper. You understand that your father is going to be arrested for child abuse and attempted murder right? This also means that at some point in the future you are going to have to testify in front of a judge. Are you going to be willing to do that?"

This was starting to get really complicated. Testify in front of a judge? How the hell was he supposed to do that?

"Why don't we worry about that later okay Charlie?" Said Carlisle in a calm tone of voice. Charlie looked at him for a moment before reluctantly nodding.

"Alright. For now though, Jasper your father is going to be held in the county jail until the date of his trial is determined. The goal will be to have him remain there without bail so I don't want you to worry about it okay. He won't be able to come after you anymore."

Jasper just looked at him as if everything he just said was an absolute lie. Charlie was going to make sure that it wasn't.

"Well, I'm going to head back to the station now and get the ball rolling. I'll be in contact soon to discuss the details."

Carlisle walked over and shook hands with Charlie.

"Make sure this sticks Charlie. I don't want that man anywhere near Jasper ever again."

"You and me both Carlisle. Talk to you soon." Then he turned to Jasper. "You rest up kid. It'll all turn out fine. You'll see."

Then without another word Charlie exited the room leaving Jasper and Carlisle alone. Jasper watched silently as the doctor took a seat in the chair beside the bed.

"How are you doing Jasper?"

"Don't you start doc. Did you not hear what I said to that bitch from CPS."

"Jasper, having people around that want to help you is not a bad thing. Mrs. Charles is a kind person who has your best interests at heart."

Jasper couldn't help but laugh.

"You're kidding me right? She is getting paid for this shit, just like the rest of you. Nobody ever does anything unless there's something in it for them. You're no different. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm gonna 'rest up' now."

Jasper turned onto his side and closed his eyes. Carlisle watched him for a moment before deciding to give him some space.

"Alright Jasper. Sleep well."

Carlisle left the room without saying anything else. He closed the door behind him and leaned up against the wall. After hearing everything in that room Carlisle came to a decision. Jasper was greatly damaged and it was about time someone did something about that. Pushing away from the wall he headed toward his office to make some phone calls.

Once the door was closed Jasper opened his eyes and stared at the wall. He really wished that the entire day had never happened. Up till the recent conversation he'd been doing a good job of blocking out certain memories but now…reliving that night…seeing Carlisle looking at him like she used to…

"Stupid…stupid…" he mumbled as the tears started to fall. Why couldn't it have worked…he just wanted it all to stop…


	5. Chapter 5

_New chapter! Sorry it took so long, this one gave me a lot of trouble and i'm still not completely happy with it. Hope you guys like it! As always, any feedback would be much appreciated. Next chapter Jasper finally gets out of the hospital!_

* * *

Across the street from the hospital in a small café, James Colten sat and sipped lightly at his coffee. Every once in a while he would glance over at the hospital through the front window. He would watch the people coming and going and he tried to figure out what would be the best time to approach the building. He had some unfinished business with one of the patients, a teenager named Jasper Whitlock, and the fact that a police officer had been seen entering and exiting the place made him feel uneasy. It was imperative that he get a face to face meeting with his 'friend' but he had to wait until the cops were no longer present. After placing his drink back on the table he narrowed his eyes and watched as an attractive red head entered the café. She strolled over to his table and took a seat across from him.

"Well?" He said with very little interest. She smiled softly and flicked her hair behind her ear.

"Jasper tried to kill himself yesterday. He failed and now he's under twenty four hour watch. The police and child protective services are all over him so I don't think you'll be able to get close to him right now."

James narrowed his eyes even further and looked toward the hospital once more.

"Stupid bastard…" He muttered to himself. Waiting was not one of his strong suits.

"Don't worry, you'll get your chance. But for now…"

He turned to the red head who was staring at him suggestively. A smile broke out on his lips.

"You know Vic, you always know how to put me in a better mood."

Throwing a ten onto the table James stood up and headed for the exit with the red head hot on his heals. Dealing with Jasper would have to wait but that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun in the meantime.

* * *

Jasper woke up with a massive headache. He'd just experienced the worst sleep he'd had in months. The nightmare was back and this time instead of just watching Alice die, he was being forced to watch his father shoot him over and over again. He was exhausted and cranky and the last thing he wanted to do was deal with future problems. But as usual he wouldn't be getting his wish. After waking up he'd been informed that he would be getting multiple visitors. The one he was least looking forward to was a toss up between CPS agent Renee and hospital psychiatrist Dr. Irina Clark. They actually wanted him to speak with a freaking psychiatrist? It would have been funny if it wasn't going to be such a pain in the ass.

"Morning kid."

With a glare, Jasper turned his gaze over to the door where the most annoying orderly on the planet had just walked in.

"The hell do you want?"

Garrett snickered and walked over to the bed with a tray of food.

"Well I'm glad to see you're back to your old snarkey self." He said as he placed the food down on the table in front of Jasper.

"What the hell do you know, you're just a bed pan cleaner." Jasper said as he shoved the tray away. Garrett's smile vanished and he pushed the food back.

"You gotta eat kid. I won't be leaving until you do."

Jasper just glared down at the mush in front of him.

"What the hell is this anyway?"

"It's oatmeal. Ya gotta start the day off right."

Jasper turned his glare back to Garrett before grabbing the spoon in front of him and shoving the food into his mouth. He would do anything to get the asshole out of the room. It was bad enough that he had to have one silent watcher twenty four seven, he was not going to put up with another one.

"So how does it taste?" Garrett said with a smirk. Jasper just glared even harder but he continued to eat. Eventually he was done, and although he would never admit it, he actually felt better. Thinking about it, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd had a decent meal.

"Good job. I didn't think you'd eat it all. At least now you've got some color back in your cheeks."

Jasper dropped the spoon and sat back against the pillows with a sigh.

"Being healthy is overrated…"

Garrett just laughed again before picking up the empty bowl.

"You know Jasper, you really need to adjust your outlook on life. Things are never as bad as they seem."

"Again, what the hell would you know…piss off."

Garrett just shook his head and headed for the door. He bid farewell to the guard and left the door open when he exited. Having to deal with such an irritating person only made Jasper even more cranky. Deciding that he didn't want to deal with anymore disparaging thoughts he turned on the hundred year old television in the room and prepared to waste away the hours.

* * *

An hour later there was a knock on the door, effectively ruining his mind numbness, and forcing him to once again acknowledge the world around him.

"Yeah…" He said warily toward the open door. A second later in walked a gorgeous blond woman he'd never seen before. She was totally hot and for a moment he didn't realize who she was. And then he saw the clipboard in her hands.

"Good morning Mr. Whitlock. How are you feeling today?"

He didn't answer but it didn't seem to faze her.

"You're certainly looking healthier. I'm very glad to see that. My name is Dr. Clark. You can call me Irina if you'd like. I was asked to have a little talk with you today. How do you feel about that?"

Again Jasper kept his silence, she just smiled at him and moved to sit in the chair beside his bed.

"Alright, I'll start. I've been informed that you've been having a rough time recently and have tried taking some drastic action to escape it. Would you care to tell me about that?"

Jasper had her pegged from the moment she started talking. One of the pluses of growing up in the neighbourhood he did was that he'd become very good at reading people. He had also become very good at spotting liars. Dr. Irina Clark was one of the worst he'd ever seen. Anger started to bubble up inside of him. Jasper couldn't stand liars…mainly because he was such a good one himself. It was the way she asked her questions, with no sense of feeling, it was very clinical. There was also a coldness in her eyes that reminded him of his own. She clearly didn't give a shit about him or his problems. Just one more person in it for the money. Well, he wasn't gonna put up with it.

"Alright Jasper, it's okay if you don't want to talk but I want you to know that I'm here if you change your mind. I am always willing to listen."

Yeah, sure lady…

"Okay. You wanna talk? Hell, this could be entertaining. How about we talk about the fact that my father is going to try to kill me."

He saw a brief flicker of uncertainty in her icy stare and felt a grim feeling of satisfaction in knowing that he put it there.

"Jasper, your father is in jail. You are perfectly safe from him."

"Oh, you think so huh. I figure he's not gonna be to happy with the fact that I put him there. He knows a lot of shady people and I know they won't have a problem dealing with me…and anyone who tries to help. Are you trying to help me Dr. Irina?"

Uneasiness replaced the uncertainty in her and she started tapping her fingers on her clip board.

"Why do you think your father would want to hurt the people helping you? You have a very wild imagination young man."

Her words were calm but he could tell she was nervous. He could feel a smile making its way onto his lips.

"You think its my imagination?"

Then, smile still on his face, Jasper rolled up his right sleeve. The crisscrossing scars on his arm were clearly visible. Some of them were self-inflicted, like the ones under the bandages on his wrists, but the majority were from his father.

"If the man did this to his own son, do you really think that he would hesitate to do something worse to someone helping me?"

He could tell that the idea hit home when her face suddenly paled. She stood up and adjusted her clipboard in her arms.

"Well, I think that's enough for today. We'll speak again later alright. Have a good afternoon Jasper. I hope you feel better soon."

She left the room even faster than he thought possible. Jasper laughed derisively and figured that was one of the shortest conversations he'd ever had. Once she was gone the smile faded and he leaned his head back against the pillows. He had really enjoyed that…which only seemed to prove that he was more like his father than he cared to admit. It was a sobering thought.

"Jasper?"

Dr. Cullen appeared in the doorway with a concerned look on his face. Jasper was really getting tired of seeing that look.

"Jasper what happened? Dr. Clark just ran by and she looked very upset."

"I just told her the truth. Not my fault she couldn't take it…"

Carlisle frowned and entered the room.

"Jasper, why do you feel the need to run off everyone that is trying to help you?"

"You know doc, that's not really any of your business now is it."

He shifted in the bed as Carlisle took a seat in the chair Dr. Clark had just vacated.

"So when is Mrs. CPS coming?" He said in order to change the subject. Carlisle seemed to realize this and thankfully he went with it.

"She should be here in about thirty minutes."

Silence settled upon them and Jasper had a feeling that the doctor wanted to say something. He didn't know if he wanted to ask about it though. Ever since the previous day, being around Carlisle made him feel very uncomfortable. It was because of him that Jasper was reliving his nightmares and all he wanted was for the man to leave. Unfortunately, he didn't get the chance to ask.

"Jasper…before Mrs. Charles gets here there is something I would like to talk to you about."

Jasper sat up a bit in the bed and braced himself. He had a feeling that he wasn't gonna like what he was about to hear.

"Jasper, I would like to understand why you are so afraid of going into foster care. I can see someone your age feeling uneasy about that kind of situation but you seem genuinely scared. Why is that?"

To many god damn questions…but for some reason he felt like it was okay to answer this one.

"I…my best friend was in foster care…Peter. It broke him, you know…he ended up killing himself because of what those people did. They fucked him up and I don't need or want that shit."

Carlisle had remained silent as he got the words out and he seemed to be thinking really hard about something.

"Jasper…"

"Look doc, I know what you're gonna say okay. 'Not all foster families are like that', 'there are lots of nice people who just want to help', its all just bullshit. But in the end I don't even have a choice in the matter do I. That woman is going to come here and ship me off to some shitty group home, and then from there its off to get fucked by the system. I know how this stuff works."

And once again he gets the look of pity. If he got that look one more time he was seriously going to snap.

"Alright Jasper. I understand. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to tell me."

Then he kind of just went silent again. Jasper was confused. That was what the guy wanted to talk about? He'd made it sound so serious and all he wanted to do was understand him?

"Seriously? That's it?"

Then Carlisle fixed him with a determined gaze which really startled Jasper.

"No, that's not all Jasper. Last night I made some phone calls and…Mrs. Charles was one of them."

Ok…Dr. Cullen was talking to his social worker, why the hell did that bother him so much?

"Why the hell were you talking to my social worker?"

"I was talking to Mrs. Charles because…"

"Spit it out doc."

"Because my wife and I are foster parents Jasper, and we would like to invite you to stay with us."

Out of everything Dr. Cullen could have told him, an invite to live with him and his wife was nowhere on the list. To say he was shocked was an understatement. He was also extremely confused. He could tell by the mans tone that he was deadly serious and he was unsure of why. Why would a complete stranger, that he had only known for about three days, want to do that? Carlisle didn't know anything about him, didn't know what he had done…so why?

"Why?" He said quietly.

"I'm sorry but what did you say Jasper?"

"I said why?!"

Carlisle was visibly startled by his sudden outburst.

"Jasper?"

"Why the hell do you keep trying to help me?! You don't even know me!"

"Jasper please calm down."

But Jasper wouldn't be calmed down. He was tired, he was confused, but more than anything he was angry. He was angry that he was acting so weak and pathetic that these people felt the constant need to treat him like he would break at any moment. He was not a weak person. His entire life he'd been taking care of himself and the thought of letting other people, strangers, see him like this, really pissed him off.

"No! I am not some weak pathetic freak that needs taking care of! I was doing just fine before all this shit happened and I'll be fine when its over to!"

"You tried to kill yourself Jasper. That is not okay."

The words were quiet, barely more than a whisper but…they sucked the anger right out of him. He couldn't really think of anything to say to that. It was true after all. He had tried to kill himself…twice. How does a person defend themselves against something like that?

"Jasper I may not know you very well but it is obvious that you are in pain. Every person on the planet deserves help and you are no exception. I want to help you because I care about what happens to you. You may not believe me but it's the truth."

The scary thing was that Jasper did believe him. For the first time in his life a person wanted to do something to make his life a little less shitty and he didn't really know how to handle it.

"What do you say Jasper? Would you like to give what I'm offering you a chance?"

Carlisle gently placed his hand on the bed rail and looked at him with those same kind eyes as before. Almost as if pleading for him to accept. It scared Jasper and he had to turn away. He really was a coward…

"You really shouldn't want to help me doc…"

"That is my decision Jasper."

The guy just didn't get it. But in the end, what other choice did he have? He either let Dr. Cullen help him or he would go into the unknown. What it came down to was if he felt he deserved to be helped in the first place. Was a person who failed at the most important job of his life, worthy of something good?

"Alright doc…you win…"

Carlisle thought he would be happy to hear Jasper say yes. But the boy just sounded utterly defeated. Why did Jasper find it so hard to accept kindness? He became determined to find out.

"That's great Jasper. I'm glad you're willing to give it a try."

Jasper shrugged his shoulders and continued to stare at the wall. Carlisle removed his hand from the rail and stood up.

"I have to get back to work now Jasper but when Mrs. Charles gets here I'll come back and the three of us can hash out the details. Until then get some rest alright."

Jasper stiffly nodded his head and Carlisle couldn't help but smile. Despite the long road ahead he felt like he was finally making progress.

Once he was gone Jasper shook his head. What was he doing? If anyone he knew saw him like this they would laugh their asses off. He sighed and lifted up his right arm. It was still uncovered from when he'd scared Dr. Clark. The scars were still very visible despite the years that had past, especially in the right lighting. He could make out the burns the easiest. Henry had been pissed off at him for forgetting to pick him up another pack of smokes. In order to remind Jasper for the next time, he had put out his last one on Jasper's arm. It had been painful but Jasper never forgot to get the cigarettes again. He chuckled at the memory and pulled his sleeve down.

He found himself wondering what his father was doing. When he pictured the bastard rotting in a prison cell, he couldn't help but laugh. Jasper lowered his arm slowly and placed it back on the bed. The medication was still working so he didn't feel any pain, but eventually it would wear off and he would be screwed. He hadn't been awake very long and he still had one visitor to go but he was already exhausted. The whole week was like one big energy drain. As his eyes started closing he couldn't help but think he needed a vacation.

* * *

_Piece of crap…worthless…Bang!_

_No! Alice!_

_Wake up…please wake up…_

_Just cleaning up the trash…should've drowned you when you were born…_

_You know, when we get older we can go far away from here. We can finally be happy Jasper. I won't ever let him hurt you again…_

_Alice…Alice…_

"Alice!" Jasper screamed as he was jolted awake. His breathing was ragged and his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. His eyes darted around only to land on Renee Charles standing right beside his bed looking concerned.

"Jasper honey, are you alright?"

He took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart. He couldn't believe the woman had just seen him have one of his nightmares.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine…"

She looked like she was going to dispute that so he held up his hand to stop her.

"I'm fine. How long have you been here anyway?"

She frowned, still looking unconvinced, but fortunately decided to move past it.

"Not very long, maybe about ten minutes. I didn't want to wake you."

Jasper nodded and unconsciously glanced at the door where his watchdog still stood, before focusing back on Renee.

"Why are you here again?" He said softly, still half asleep.

"I'm here to talk to you about your living arrangements. Remember?"

After a moment of confusion Jasper nodded and gestured for her to continue.

"Alright. So Dr. Cullen has informed me that you have agreed to stay with him. Is that true?"

He nodded again because despite the fact that he had about a hundred reasons why this arrangement was not going to work out, he decided that he wasn't gonna fight anymore and just let the pieces fall where they may.

"Okay, that's wonderful news. I want to assure you Jasper that Dr. Cullen and his wife have a sterling reputation as foster parents and I think you are going to love it with them. I will also inform you that they have a son about your age and I'm sure the two of you will get along fine…"

She kept talking but Jasper had stopped listening when she said they had a son. He hadn't known that and just the thought of it made him cringe.

"Jasper? Are you even listening?"

Shaken from his thoughts Jasper tried to focus back on the conversation.

"What?"

Renee frowned but continued anyway.

"I was saying that when you are well enough, you will be aloud to remove what you need from your house and then head over to the Cullen residence. There will be periodic check ins to see how everything is going and you will have access to my personal number in case of any emergencies. How does that all sound to you?"

"Fine…I guess…"

Jasper shifted slightly in bed because the pain meds seemed to be wearing off and the wound in his shoulder was starting to throb.

"Alright then. I'm just going to need you to sign a few things and I'll go get Dr. Cullen so he can do the same."

She took some papers out of her bag and set them on the table in front of him. It looked like complete gibberish and for all he knew he could have been signing his soul away. She smiled softly down at him as he tried to read and sign the pages and as soon as he was done she headed toward the hallway to find the doc. It didn't take long for the two of them to return and even less time for all the documents to be filled out. Jasper found it a little irritating how the entire time the doc was signing, he had a big goofy smile on his face, like this was the happiest moment of his life.

"Okay, everything looks in order. Now I just have to head back to the office and file these and you will officially be Jasper's new foster family."

Carlisle smiled even wider and Jasper couldn't help but roll his eyes. He shifted again as the pain started to get worse.

"So, you'll keep me informed of when he will be able to leave?" Renee asked Carlisle as she began putting the signed papers back in her bag.

"Of course Renee."

She nodded and then turned to Jasper.

"I'll see you soon Jasper. Try and get some more rest ok, you look so tired."

Ignoring the genuine concern in her voice, Jasper just nodded stiffly and turned his head away. Renee just shook her head, bid Carlisle farewell and then left the room.

"Jasper are you alright?"

"What?"

"You were moving around a lot. Are you in pain?"

Jasper was surprised that the man noticed. He had been trying to be subtle about it.

"Maybe a bit…"

Without saying anything Carlisle moved over to the machines and hit a few buttons. Almost immediately the pain lessened and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Next time just say something alright. We are here to make you feel better Jasper."

Again Jasper just nodded.

"Well, you have had a very busy day so far so I'll make sure nobody else disturbs you okay. Renee was right Jasper, you need to try and get some sleep."

Carlisle moved the table to the side and softly patted his leg in a gesture of comfort. Not expecting that, Jasper froze the moment his hand touched him and Carlisle immediately realized that he'd made a mistake.

"Jasper?"

He did not like being touched. Every person that had ever touched him, with the exception of his mother and Alice, had only done it to inflict pain. To have someone he barely knew do it, well, he reacted badly. Jasper's arm shot out and his fist collided with Carlisle's jaw as he'd been leaning in to see if Jasper was alright. Not expecting that reaction, Carlisle immediately jumped back and ended up knocking the flowers that were sitting on the windowsill onto the floor with a crash. Within moments the guard and a few orderly's were surging into the room in order to restrain Jasper who was now wildly thrashing around. Still in shock, Carlisle could only watch in horror as Jasper was injected with a sedative. As Jasper slowly fell asleep, Carlisle couldn't help but think they had just had a major setback.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay, it's been a crazy couple of weeks. I want to thank everyone who reviewed and followed this story, it really means a lot and i'm so glad you're liking it so far. Once again, feedback is greatly appreciated because I love hearing what you guys think. Well, on with the show!_

* * *

Carlisle strode down the hallway with an optimistic attitude. It was the day before Jasper would be being discharged from the hospital and he was determined to fix things before that happened. It had been three days since the 'incident' and in all that time the boy had refused to say a word to him. In retrospect, touching Jasper without permission, had been a huge mistake. With the boys past being what it was, he should have realized the reason it was such a problem in the first place. He'd tried to make things right but the fragile trust that he had gained with Jasper was now gone and he was forced to start over from scratch. He was feeling optimistic because, despite the broken bond, Jasper had not cancelled the plan to move in with him and his family. It was a reason to remain hopeful. The arrangements had all been made, with the full support of both his wife and son, and all that was left was to repair the damage he had done.

"Doc! Hey doc!"

Stopping mid step, Carlisle turned to face who had called. Garrett ran up to him with a huge smile on his face.

"Good morning Garrett." Carlisle greeted with a smile of his own. "What has you in such a good mood?"

The man smiled even wider and spread his arms in a 'look at me' gesture.

"Oh nothing…except for the fact that I finally got the kid to tell me to shut up!"

Carlisle's eyes widened in surprise before he burst out laughing. Garrett lowered his arms and started laughing with him. When they calmed down Carlisle felt the need to ask what had happened.

"What did you do to get him to talk to you?"

"I just annoyed the hell outta him."

Carlisle laughed again and it made Garrett happy to see. Ever since the kid shut down the doc had been in a bit of a depressed state. He did his work with barely a smile let alone a laugh and to hear him coming back to his old self was a welcome change.

"Well I'm glad the two of you are getting along. Is he still awake?"

"Yup. Just finished forcing him to eat his breakfast."

"He still doesn't want to eat voluntarily?"

"It's not that exactly…it's more like he just…doesn't care enough to do it."

Carlisle sighed and shook his head.

"Well, hopefully today is a day of new beginnings."

"Good luck doc." With another smile and a wave, Garrett headed off down the hallway. Carlisle chuckled again while watching him leave. Once the man was gone he turned his attention back to the task at hand. It was a good sign that Jasper was energetic enough to tell off Garrett, so maybe he would be receptive to a little visit. So without another moment of hesitation he headed to his future foster sons room.

* * *

Jasper glared over at the guard by the door who was just standing there staring off into space. He really wished that the bastard would just go away. It was his own damn fault, but still. He was in a bad mood. Three days ago he had made an absolute fool out of himself and now he couldn't even bring himself to talk to anyone, which probably only made him look even more pathetic. He still couldn't believe he'd reacted in such a stupid way. Who the hell had a total freak out when someone patted their leg? It was ridiculous and it had never happened to him before.

The past three days he'd spent thinking constantly about why it had gone down that way. When his father would beat him, he never even flinched, so why would Dr. Cullen touching him evoke such a strange reaction? And to make matters even worse, the following day he would be going to live with the guy. A part of him wanted to cancel the whole thing but he'd already made the decision to go through with it and once a decision was made, he saw it through to the end. Alice had always called him stubborn. He saw himself as being dedicated.

With a weary sigh, Jasper turned his gaze away from the lame guard and looked down at his hands, or more accurately, his wrists. The previous day one of the nurses had removed the bandages covering the wounds in order to let them get some much needed air. They were clearly visible now and he couldn't stop staring at them. He'd really done it…he'd tried to end it all. It was an epic failure but…he had actually tried to do it. It was strange…he didn't really feel much of anything toward that important fact. It was like it was just another bump in the road that he'd driven over at high speed. Now it was time to just move on to the next one. The wounds were finally beginning to mend and the flesh was pink and raw where the skin was rebuilding. They would probably scar and he didn't really mind that either. It was just one of those things. A part of him wished he did care…that might mean that he was actually alive to begin with…

_Knock Knock Knock_

At the sound Jasper tore his gaze from the wounds and faced the doorway again. When he saw Dr. Cullen standing there he couldn't help but flinch…especially when he saw the ugly bruise on the mans jaw…the bruise he had put there. God…he was as bad as his father.

"Hello Jasper. I hope your doing alright today. I'm sorry I couldn't be here when your bandages were removed yesterday but I hear everything went okay."

Disbelief. Utter and complete disbelief. Jasper had a feeling that he was never going to understand the thought process of Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Jasper had physically assaulted the man and he was still more worried about him…it was ridiculous. Jasper sighed again and turned to face the window. He kept his gaze averted even when he heard the man sit down beside the bed.

"Well, you're definitely looking healthier. Seeing some color in your face is a welcome sight."

Jasper clenched his jaw and remained stubbornly silent. Carlisle didn't let it faze him.

"Do you mind if I take a look at your wrists?"

That was another thing. Ever since that day the doc always asked permission before touching him. It made him feel even more idiotic. Still without looking at the man, Jasper held his left wrist out for inspection. Carlisle gently grabbed his hand and turned it so that his wrist was facing upward.

"It's healing nicely. And the wound in your shoulder is looking good to. I'd say tomorrow is still on for your discharge."

Jasper nodded stiffly and pulled his hand away. Carlisle let it go without complaint and placed his hands in his lap.

"Speaking of your discharge Jasper… I want you to know that everything is all ready. My wife Esme, is setting up our guest room for you and my son Edward is really looking forward to meeting you too. How are you doing with all of this? I know that you're not very happy about the whole situation but I want you to know that you will be very welcome in our home."

'Sure doc…until I do something you don't like…' he thought sarcastically, despite the fact that he was starting to believe that the good doctor was different than what he had originally thought.

"And Jasper…about the other day, I know I've apologized before but I wanted to again say I'm-"

"Seriously?!" Jasper said harshly, interrupting Carlisle and any apologies he was about to make. The word had slipped out before he could stop it. He'd had every intention of remaining silent throughout the entire exchange but to hear the doctor try and apologize again? It was just pushing things to far. For his part Carlisle stopped talking and just stared at Jasper with a questioning gaze. Jasper finally turned to face him and Carlisle was a bit concerned at what he saw in the boys eyes. There was so much guilt there…

"I don't want you to say any more god damn 'I'm sorry's' okay. I mean Jesus, I'm the one who freakin hit you for no damn reason, so for the love of god, just stop."

Carlisle was a bit stunned. For the first time in three days Jasper actually spoke to him and the self loathing he could hear in his voice was staggering. It was the first time he got a sense of how Jasper was really feeling deep down.

"Okay Jasper. I won't say it again."

Jasper's eyes shifted around the room, not knowing where to look after that little love fest, and he felt like he was being such a freak. Maybe he was crazy after all.

"But…I want you to understand something Jasper."

Something in the man's tone made Jasper focus back on him. Carlisle was staring at him very seriously.

"I want you to understand that what happened, was not your fault. It was a physical reaction to a past trauma that you experienced. I don't blame you in any way, shape, or form and I would like for you to not blame yourself. Any human being in your situation might have reacted the same way."

Again Jasper was blindsided by something he didn't fully understand. All his life he was blamed for everything…he was even blamed for being born, so to be told that something wasn't his fault, well, he couldn't quite wrap his mind around it.

Carlisle could see the confusion in Jasper's eyes and figured that it was time to change the subject.

"So, anyway Jasper, about tomorrow," he said jovially as Jasper decided to frown down at his hands, "I want to know what you would like to have for your welcome meal. My wife wants to prepare something special and she said you can have anything you'd like."

Jasper's eyes shot up and he looked even more confused than before. Carlisle was starting to get the feeling that bombarding the boy with so many kind gestures was a mistake. It also made him realize that Jasper might be more damaged than he'd originally thought.

"What do you mean 'welcome meal'?" Questioned Jasper in a small voice. It was Carlisle's turn to frown and he moved his chair a bit closer to the bed.

"It's just a nice supper to welcome you to our home. It doesn't have to be anything overwhelming Jasper, just a small dinner with the family. We don't have to do it if you feel uncomfortable in any way. Remember that we are just trying to make you feel safe and secure."

Jasper fixed Carlisle with a harsh glare.

"Safe and secure huh? What a freaking joke…Look doc, I don't want a 'welcome meal' okay. And don't lump me in like I'm gonna become a part of your precious family either. I have a family…it may be a total fucking joke but it's all I got."

"Jasper-"

"Just stop alright!" Jasper yelled in annoyance before immediately feeling extremely guilty when he saw how Carlisle's face fell in disappointment. And when the hell had he started feeling guilty about making the good doctor sad? With a sigh he rubbed a hand over his face and decided to try again with a little less aggression.

"Look doc…I…appreciate you taking me in…you're my best possible option in all this and I guess I should say thanks for that but…I know what this is and I think it's time you realized it to. The truth is that I'm pretty messed up, if you hadn't noticed, and the only reason I'm staying with you is because nobody else would want me. I don't expect anything more from you or your family so you don't have to try and make this into anything more than what it is…a damaged freak squatting in your house until you decide you've had enough…"

It was the longest thing Jasper had said to anyone since he'd arrived a week ago and Carlisle was honored that Jasper felt he could open up to him even a little. But what he had said made him want to pull him into his arms and never let him go. Jasper believed that they would get sick of him and throw him away like garbage. Carlisle wanted desperately to prove to Jasper that that wasn't the case but he knew that anything he said at this point and time would not be believed. Jasper was set in his belief that he was worthless, that he didn't matter, that he was nothing, and a few kind words were not going to make much of a difference after a lifetime of abuse. It was the first time that Carlisle realized the true enormity of the situation he had found himself in and it was a bit overwhelming. But it also only made him want to help even more.

"I truly wish you didn't feel that way Jasper but I understand why you do. How about we just take this a day at a time and see how things play out. Do you think that that is something you'd be willing to try?"

Once again Jasper could hear the utter sincerity in Carlisle's voice. It was getting extremely easy to read the man's intentions and he felt like the 'one day at a time' thing could work. If not…he could always go to his escape plan…after all, they would have to leave him alone sometime. It was really amazing how just knowing that he had that out made him less afraid.

"Okay, I guess…"

He almost laughed out loud when he saw Carlisle's face light up. He didn't know why the guy was so happy but it was better than seeing him depressed…

* * *

Carlisle headed down the hallway feeling lighter than he had in days. Jasper was willing to give him a chance and that was tremendous progress. He felt like they had repaired, or at least started to repair, the trust between them and it made him feel even more optimistic than before. Jasper had opened up to him, in fact, near the end of their visit, it had almost even looked like the boy had been trying to hold in laughter which Jasper had not done a single time since he was admitted. Things were going in the right direction…which meant that when Charlie showed up two hours later with a grim look on his face…it should have been expected.

* * *

"What do you mean he's out on bail!?"

Charlie flinched at Carlisle's outburst and hurriedly closed the door to the doctors office.

"Exactly what I said Carlisle," he said as he turned back toward the man, "the judge ruled that there wasn't enough evidence to prove that the bastard is a flight risk. Bail was set at ten grand and I still don't know who the hell it was that paid. Whoever did it paid in cash and left a false name and the camera's were down that morning. Something about a short in the wiring or some such crap. It all just seems very…convenient. And then added to that is the fact that an hour after he got out, the asshole disappeared. He's gone. I've got people out looking but who the hell knows if we'll find him. He could be halfway to Canada by now."

Charlie shook his head at the complete mess the case had become and to make it even worse he now had to let the kid know that his father was back on the loose.

"Do you really think he'll try and leave the country?"

"I honestly have no idea but we're covering all our bases with this one. I just…I just don't know how I'm gonna tell this to the kid. I promised him he wouldn't have to worry about his father anymore and now this happens…"

The two men remained silent for a while, trying to figure out a way out of the situation but coming up with nothing. Eventually Carlisle spoke up.

"I…I don't think we should tell Jasper…"

Charlie looked over to Carlisle, who had taken a seat behind his desk, in surprise.

"What do you mean not tell the kid? I think this is something he should know."

Carlisle knew that Jasper should be informed but he also knew exactly how he would react and it would not be pretty. In fact, he had a feeling that Jasper would shut down completely and nothing anyone said or did would be able to help this time. It would do more harm than good, letting him know, and the last thing in the world Carlisle wanted to do was hurt Jasper.

"I agree that he should be told, just not yet. Jasper is just starting to make some more progress Charlie, and telling him this now would destroy that and any future progress he could achieve. I'm not saying that he never find out, that would be unethical, but I just think we should wait, at least until I get him safely out of the city and settled in at my home in Forks."

Charlie had to admit that Carlisle made a good point. But he also knew that if Jasper ever found out they had kept this from him it would end very badly.

"Well…alright, if you think that is our wisest course of action I'll go along with it, for now. But you have to tell him once he's safe."

Carlisle nodded in agreement and tried to push back the feelings of guilt and unease over the whole situation. He now wanted to get Jasper out of the city as fast as possible, knowing that the boys father was running around on the loose, but he couldn't do anything that would tip Jasper off. Knowing that there wasn't anything more they could, the two of them said their goodbyes and then Carlisle saw Charlie to the elevators. Once that was done he headed to his office to call and inform Renee what had happened. She ended up agreeing with him and said she would make sure Jasper's files were secure so his father wouldn't have any access to it or the information it contained. His next phone call was made to his wife. Before they proceeded any further he had to make sure the arrangement was still alright with her considering the new information.

"Of course it is still alright. In fact, it makes me want to bring him here even more. That poor child has had to deal with so much, we can't abandon him now dear."

The relief he felt at her words was staggering. He was so glad that she felt the same.

"Thank you Esme. I'm glad you're still on board with this."

"I want to keep him safe as much as you do Carlisle. Bring him home alright. I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart."

After hanging up Carlisle took a moment to collect his thoughts before heading back to work. He couldn't stop thinking about Henry Whitlock and how angry he made him. If Carlisle had his way the man would not be allowed to see the light of day again. It was unthinkable to hurt a child and the man had completely destroyed Jasper in every way. It was nearly impossible to forgive something like that…even for him.

* * *

Jasper leaned back in bed and let his mind drift. The battle against Dr. Cullen appeared to be one he was losing and it didn't sit right with him. One battle he was winning though, was the battle with his body. The first day he'd woken up he hadn't even been able to get out of bed and now he was able to walk around his room, and even a fairly long distance through the hospital, and he figured over the next few days he would be pretty close to normal…aside from his arm. It still hurt when he moved it and despite the fact that it was healing, he still couldn't lift heavy objects or grip anything with a descent amount of force. He'd been told he would have to undergo some physical therapy to try and repair the damage once he was out of the hospital. That was going to be a great old time…

_Thanks a lot dad_, he thought sarcastically as he flexed his right hand a few times. He was so tired of being in the damn hospital. Jasper had never been an idle person. He was always on the go for one thing or another at home and now he was stuck not doing anything but healing and it was driving him nuts. That part of him was glad that in just a few more hours he'd be driving out to some weirdly named little town he'd never even heard of before. Living in a large city was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand you had a lively atmosphere and excitement. One the other, you had relative anonymity and no sense of home. A small town was different. Everyone there would know everyone else and he would most likely be the center of attention. That was one of the things that concerned him. He'd spent most of his life being part of the background…being invisible, and now he would be center stage. It made him feel very unsettled. There was also the issue with the Cullen's having a son. He still wasn't sure how to deal with that. Jasper had never had siblings. The closest thing he'd had to a brother was Peter and that hadn't exactly ended well. He just hoped the kid didn't want to be all buddy buddy with him…cause that was so not happening.

There was a plus to leaving though. One that was pretty high on his list. Leaving Seattle meant leaving certain things, certain people, behind. It was a way to escape his past and that was something he wouldn't be giving up anytime soon.

* * *

"Are you ready to get going Jasper?"

Looking into the mirror Jasper couldn't help rolling his eyes.

"Just a sec…" He muttered in response to the annoying orderly's jovial voice. Garrett would be the one wheeling him downstairs, and he just _loved_ the fact that he'd be taken from the hospital like some kind of cripple, instead of walking out on his own two, perfectly fine, legs. _It's hospital policy, _they kept telling him over and over. He could hear Garrett chuckle from outside and rolled his eyes again before focusing back on his reflection. The last time he'd looked he had ended up slitting his wrists…

Sighing, Jasper accepted the fact that he still looked like shit. People kept telling him that he was looking so much better, that he had color back in his cheeks. In his eyes he was still just a pale, scarred, freak. And that probably wouldn't be changing anytime soon. He turned his back to the mirror as he took his hospital gown off. He had to change into the clothes he'd been given to leave in and they were just a pair of baggy sweats and a long sleeved shirt. The clothes he'd arrived in had been tossed because they were saturated in blood and weren't salvageable. It didn't really matter anyway. He'd actually stolen them out of a donation box he'd come across a few months back. As he pulled the shirt over his head he studiously avoided glancing back at the mirror. He never really care much for looking at his damaged body. He pulled the sleeves down as far as they would go in order to cover his wrists and then headed out of the bathroom.

"Ah, there you are! Thought I was gonna have to send in the cavalry."

"Why can't you ever just shut up…" He mumbled as the brunette gestured in the direction of the wheelchair sitting by the doorway.

"Oh you know you're going to miss me kid. I'm certainly gonna miss you. Now hop in and lets get you outta here!"

Completely ignoring him, Jasper slowly made his way over to the chair and sat down. It literally felt like he was sitting on a cloud. It was the most comfortable chair he had ever sat in. Unfortunately the bastard must have seen the surprised look on his face because he broke out in a huge grin.

"How you feel about the thing now huh?"

"Shut up."

Garrett burst out laughing and began pushing him out of the room.

"See ya kid," said the guard as they passed by. Jasper just gave him a glare and a half assed salute.

His room had been on the third floor of the hospital so it was a quick trip down to the first floor where Carlisle was waiting with his discharge papers. As they came around the corner though, Jasper almost had a panic attack when he thought he saw someone he knew walking out the front doors. It was a fairly attractive red head that looked very familiar. And if she was there then that meant…

"Jasper?"

Startled slightly, he looked up at Garrett who was watching him with concerned eyes.

"You alright?"

He just swallowed the growing fear and plastered on his normal glare.

"I'm fine. Can we just go."

Garrett studied his face for a moment before he mercifully started pushing him along again. If it had been who he thought it was then that meant _he_ was somewhere nearby and that could only mean trouble. Jasper needed to get out of there as fast as possible.

Eventually the front desk came into view and Jasper saw Carlisle standing there with a big smile on his face. The guy looked like he was having the best day of his life and strangely, just seeing him, made the fear and unease Jasper was feeling slowly start to go away. It was weird. No one, aside from Alice, had ever had that kind of affect on him before. He found it to be a little unsettling.

"Hey Jasper!" Carlisle said enthusiastically as they approached. There were a few papers spread out before him on the counter and Jasper hoped they were the papers for his release.

"Why are you always in such a good mood? It's annoying…"

If anything, his words only made Carlisle look even happier.

"Sorry we took so long doc. Somebody was taking forever in the bathroom."

If Jasper had something sharp, he definitely would have stabbed it into Garrett's leg for that comment. But seeing as he didn't, he instead settled for giving him the finger. Which, of course, only succeeded in making him laugh. Carlisle laughed to before turning to face him.

"Well, everything is signed which means you are officially cleared to leave the hospital. Are you ready to head out?"

Jasper was more than ready. It was amazing to him that barely over a week ago he was still living his shitty old life and now his dad was in jail and he was heading off into the unknown. Truthfully he was amazed that he'd had the strength to accomplish any of these things. He had been ready to die when he first entered the hospital…but now he was having doubts. He wouldn't go as far as saying he wanted to live, but curiosity was starting to rear its head within him. Maybe things wouldn't be as bad as he thought they would be. Besides, getting out of town was fast becoming a priority…especially if Victoria was hanging around. That red head was a real bitch, and her boyfriend was a complete sociopath that he had managed to piss off. Not a good combination. So yeah, he was ready to leave.

"Yeah. I guess…"

Carlisle nodded and then handed the papers back to the nurse.

"I can take it from here Garrett." He said as he walked over to them. Garrett nodded and then stood in front of him.

"Well, looks like this is goodbye kid. Its been a real pleasure meeting you and I hope things get better for ya. Take care alright."

When the man stuck his hand out Jasper couldn't help but flinch, before realizing he just wanted a hand shake. Feeling like a complete idiot he almost declined the offer. But then he decided that Garrett wasn't such a bad guy after all. So reaching out, he shook his hand and watched as he went back to work. Then it was just him and the doc again.

Carlisle took the handles of the chair and started pushing. Once they were outside Jasper was a little annoyed at the fact that it was raining. It seemed like a bad omen or something. His eyes kept darting around for any signs of Victoria but she appeared to have disappeared.

"Are you alright Jasper? You seem a bit nervous. There is nothing to be afraid of okay."

Jasper forgot how perceptive Dr. Cullen could be.

"I am fine alright. I really wish people would stop asking me that already."

Carlisle didn't seem convinced but thankfully he didn't press the issue. He continued silently pushing the wheelchair until they reached the curb.

"So, we will be having someone escort us to your house to pick up a few things and then we will be heading out of town."

"Who's driving?" Jasper asked with suspicion. Carlisle didn't answer, instead he chose to point in the direction of a silver sedan slowly pulling up. When he saw who was driving the uneasiness he'd been feeling before came rushing back. It was Charlie…and that could only mean bad news.


	7. Chapter 7

_Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it and once again thank you all for your wonderful reviews, they make me want to keep writing. _

* * *

"Why the hell won't you just tell me the truth?" Jasper said for the third time since leaving the hospital fifteen minutes ago. There was no way he would believe that, out of the goodness of his heart, Chief Swan had decided to give them a ride to the dump he lived in and then continue on to Forks. There was just no way. It wasn't exactly a short trip.

"Give it a rest already kid. I told you that I live there too and was just in town helping a friend with a case when your scrawny ass landed on my doorstep. And now I am going home. So it only makes sense that I drive, especially considering that Dr. Cullen here would've had to have gotten his son to drive up to get him if I hadn't offered."

It was a long winded speech full of half truths and it really made him irritated. It also made him suspicious of Carlisle. The man had offered no alternate explanation, only saying that Charlie had offered, so he had accepted. Something was going on…and Jasper would find out what it was. He was good at that kind of thing. But, deciding that waiting for them to be less guarded would be more productive, he tried to focus on what he would be doing in the next five minutes. Going back into that house was not very high on his to-do list but there were a few things he really needed to get before skipping town. Making sure he went in alone would be a tough sell though.

"Fine. Whatever. Are we there yet?"

He felt slightly satisfied when he saw Charlie glare back at him through the rear-view mirror.

"Jasper, how does your shoulder feel? Would you like another one of your pain meds?"

Shifting his gaze, Jasper saw Carlisle watching him from the front seat.

"It's fine doc."

Carlisle stared at him a moment, as if assessing his truthfulness, and Jasper couldn't help but think that the man was being a complete hypocrite. Wanting him to be honest when he himself was hiding something. When Carlisle faced forward once more, Jasper turned to look out the window. As they drove he watched the familiar scenery go by and he began to be flooded by memories. Some were good, like the corner by the liquor store where he and Peter used to scam the drunks out of their booze money before spending it on cigarettes and nerds, Pete's favorite candy. Or the Laundromat a few blocks down from his house where he and Alice would meet up after school to do homework and just be together without the threat of his father hanging over their heads. They may not be the average persons idea of happy times but they were for him. Of course, the bad ones were there too. The side streets where he would meet up with his dealer James and get high or get packages to deliver for a bit of cash so he could feed himself. The fire station he had set on fire because he'd just been beaten and was feeling pissed and wanted to show them how much he understood the meaning of irony. He hadn't ever been caught for that one but the fact that he'd burned his arm in the process had pretty much killed his inner pyromaniac. Those were the very tip of the iceberg and because the idea of reliving them all scared him to death, Jasper tore his gaze from the window, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the seat. It wouldn't be long now and he found himself mentally preparing to re-enter his own personal hell.

Carlisle felt more guilt well up inside of him every time Jasper asked him to tell the truth. He knew that Jasper knew they were keeping something from him and despite the fact that he believed he'd made the right choice for the boy at the moment, it didn't stop him from questioning himself. He finally decided to take things one step at a time. First they would get Jasper's things, then they would get him settled in at the house, and then they would tell him about his father. It had probably been a bad idea to get Charlie involved in this part of things but it was to late for regrets now. He had made the choice and now he would have to live with it. With a barely concealed sigh he cast his gaze out the window. Jasper lived in a very bad part of the city. The houses were all rundown and the people walking the streets in the rain looked beaten down and tired. He could also barely make out the forms of people hovering in alleyways, no doubt doing something illegal. It was not the environment for a child to be raised but he also knew that some people had no choice. Times were hard all over and they were doing the best they could in a bad situation. That got Carlisle thinking about Jasper's mother. The boy had not spoken a word about her the entire time he was in the hospital and it made him think she was no longer in the picture. It was a sad thing to lose a mother at such a young age. He himself had lost his when he was twenty and his father had never even been in the picture. Everyone had a story and he was hoping Jasper would let him in enough to tell him his. Despite the fact that he was omitting certain truths…

"We're here."

Jasper opened his eyes at Charlie's voice and looked out the window. There it was. Home sweet home. Somehow it looked worse than when he'd last been there. The grass out front was so overgrown it looked like a jungle and the lawnmower had continued to rust to death in the corner of the yard. The security gate on the front door was also pretty rusted and shingles were hanging off the roof. All in all it looked like a total dump. Over the years Jasper had tried making some repairs but, being the only one making any money, it proved to be to much for him to handle. They had to eat after all. Oh, and dear old dad had to have his booze.

They pulled up into the cracked driveway and Charlie stopped the car. Jasper noticed that both men began removing their seat belts so he quickly intervened.

"Wait. I want to go in alone."

They both turned in their seat to look at him. This was going to be a bit of a challenge.

"Jasper," said Carlisle in a slightly warning tone, "considering what has happened recently, you know that I can't let you go alone."

"Look, I get that your worried I'll try to do something to myself, but you don't have to be. This is the last place on earth that I would do that. I just want to grab my shit and get out."

"Jasper, I really don't think-"

"Please…I don't want anyone but me going in there. I promise I won't do anything…"

Charlie looked over at Carlisle who was staring at Jasper with a frown. He figured the kid would be okay if he went alone but in the end it was Carlisle's decision.

"Alright Jasper. You swear you won't do anything to yourself?"

Jasper nodded and looked at Carlisle with, carefully arranged, pleading eyes.

"Okay then. You have fifteen minutes before I come in after you. Is that enough time for you to get what you need?"

"Yeah."

Then without another word he exited the car, making absolutely certain that he avoided looking at the house across the street. He really couldn't deal with those emotions right now.

Walking up the dilapidated porch he saw that his father had left a bunch of beer bottles lying around. _Typical, _he thought before rolling his eyes. It took a little work to shove the door open but eventually he made it inside. The house was a total mess, exactly how he'd left it. Well, maybe it was a little worse than when he'd left. It looked like his father had thrown a tantrum after he'd vacated the premises. Bottles had been thrown against the walls and there were dents in the drywall. Pictures had been smashed and there was glass all over the floor. It made him wonder what his room looked like. Knowing that there was nothing on the first floor he wanted or needed he casually sidestepped the mess and made his way upstairs. He passed the bathroom and his fathers room, which was hard because he wanted to go in there and trash everything, but he pushed forward. His room was the last on the left and the door was open. Looking inside it was pretty much what he'd figured it would be. Destroyed. His dad had smashed everything, including two lamps, a dresser, a desk and chair, and even his bed. Thankfully his father hadn't found what was most important. Everything that meant anything to him he kept hidden under the floorboards in the closet.

Making his way through the mess he knelt down and pried the panels up to reveal a small box. He gently lifted it out and placed it on his bed. Inside was everything he cared about. There were some pictures of his mother, even one of both of his parents on their wedding day, and the locket his mom had always worn. He also had a picture of him and Peter from a party the two of them had snuck into and the ticket stubs they had kept from the time they bailed on school and went to see The Shining in the theater. But the most important things in there were…memories of Alice. There were photographs and presents they had given each other, as well as her favorite stuffed animal. It was a tiny rabbit that her grandmother had given her before she'd died. He had asked her parents if he could have it and they'd agreed. After he placed the box on his torn up mattress he began rooting around through the mess in order to find his old backpack. He found it underneath some blankets and proceeded to pack the box inside. After that he went back to the floorboards. Underneath the box he had placed some cash that he'd saved up. In total it was about five grand. He had been saving it for the time he would leave with Alice. Now…he just didn't want his father to get a hold of it. And finally he grabbed a small bag of marijuana. He figured he'd need it over the next couple of days. After everything was in the bag he grabbed some clothes and books that had avoided being destroyed and shoved them in too. Then with one last look he turned to head back outside. That was when he heard them. Voices were coming from the first floor.

His first reaction was anger. He had told them he wasn't going to do anything. They couldn't even give him five damn minutes. Storming down the stairs Jasper was prepared to let them have it…but then he heard who the voices belonged to. The color drained from his face and he quickly pressed himself up against the wall to stay out of sight. _Oh God,_ he thought, _how the hell did he know I was gonna be here?_

"Come on in Jazz. I heard you coming down the stairs. Don't worry, I won't bite…"

A female giggle echoed after the words and Jasper immediately knew how James had known where he'd be. It really had been Victoria at the hospital. Swallowing back his unease, Jasper accepted his fate.

* * *

James Colten was a vindictive person. You got on his bad side and you could forget a happily ever after. He always got what he wanted and at the moment he wanted Jasper. Now James had known Jasper since he was three years old and the two of them had been fairly close for a number of years. Jasper had always followed him around and treated him like an older brother. It was cute and James had to admit he'd liked the attention, especially considering it was sorely lacking from his bitch of a mother. But then that little shit Peter arrived, soon to be followed by the whimsical Alice, and their relationship deteriorated somewhat. After he'd gotten out of that pathetic institution known as high school he'd gone on to pursue his true calling. Money and power were all that really mattered in life and if selling drugs to sad, contemptible losers would get him that then he was all for it.

Jasper hadn't felt the same and eventually they stopped talking. That was until dear old Pete ended his own pathetic life and Alice had been forcefully removed. Then Jasper came crawling back. James had been glad to have him, Jasper was a real asset. The guy could get anyone to believe anything, he was a real salesman. In fact, Jasper was so good, James had started to believe he was planning something. James had started to think of ways to end the relationship permanently… but then Jasper decided to borrow ten thousand dollars and couldn't pay it back. It was the perfect opportunity. But he had to settle a few things first. The most important, aside from repayment, was the fact that Jasper had tried to take his own life. These days, nobody left James until he said they could. Jasper would have to learn that lesson the hard way.

As the kid walked into the room he couldn't help but smile on the inside. Jasper looked like shit. Apparently his father had really done a number on him this time.

"Hello Jasper." He said cordially and prepared to have some fun.

* * *

"J-James…hey man, how's it goin?"

Jasper tried to keep the fear from his voice but it was a losing battle.

James took a step forward and briefly looked around the room before focusing back on Jasper with a sharp gaze.

"I have to tell you Jasper, I've been better. You see, a very trusted employee, disappointed me and now I'm not sure what to do about it."

Jasper slowly lowered his backpack to the floor and crossed his arms. He had to handle this delicately.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to disappoint you James. I'm sure he will pay you the money back. How long have you two known each other? You know he always keeps his word."

James showed no emotion as he stared at him. Jasper knew that if he didn't convince the lunatic that he was good on his word then he probably wouldn't be leaving the room in one piece…and he'd promised Carlisle he would. He felt even more nervous when James looked down at the backpack. He could not let the bastard find out he was leaving town. That would be disastrous.

"Where are you going Jasper?"

"Oh, uh, they arrested Henry. I have to go to some group home for a bit until shit is settled. You know how this crap works."

James seemed to contemplate his words before taking another step forward.

"Yeah, sure I do. But you know what Jasper, I don't really give a shit. Where the hell is my money?"

"Here, look, I got five grand right here. You can have it."

Jasper rooted around inside his bag until he pulled the wad of cash out. He threw it to James who caught it deftly in his left hand. The blond looked down at the money with a disinterested expression.

"This is only half of what you owe me. Where's the rest?"

"I don't have it but I will…I swear. I just need-"

"What? A bit more time?"

James came right over to him this time and tightly grabbed onto his right wrist. The pain shot through Jasper's whole arm and he couldn't help but bend to it.

"Jasper, because we are friends, I will give you one week to get me my money. If you don't I won't be responsible for what happens. And if you even think of skipping out on me…"

James tightened his grip causing Jasper to fall to his knees.

"Understand."

"Yes, yes, jesus let go!"

After another moment James finally released him and Jasper clutched his wrist to his chest. James stared down at him with hard eyes before he motioned to Victoria, who had been silently watching the entire exchange, and then the two of them headed for the door leading to the backyard. He stopped just inside the doorway and for a brief moment Jasper thought he was going to leave, but then he turned back around.

"Just one more thing. Vic says you tried to kill yourself…that true?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Because Jasper, if you leave me I'll make sure it sticks this time…" he said as he smiled softly over at him and it only served to make his words all the more sinister. Then without waiting for a response, James left as quietly as he'd arrived. Jasper didn't move until he heard the backdoor slam shut. Once he was certain they were gone he slowly pushed himself to his feet. So the bastard had had Victoria keeping an eye on him in the hospital. He knew it had been her he had seen when he was leaving. The guy was a complete nutcase and the saddest part of the whole thing was that they had once been close friends.

Growing up, before Peter and Alice had come into the picture, Jasper and James had been nearly inseparable. But, as is the case with most childhood friendships, they had drifted apart. It hadn't been until sometime in his freshman year of high school that James had gotten involved in the drug business and they had rarely spoken after that. Until of course Jasper started needing money, and then Peter died, and Alice died and he'd needed something to help dull the pain. And in those few years apart the guy had completely lost his mind. He never should have taken his money but he'd needed it to pay bills and buy food and help pay for Alice's funeral because her parents were broke. He'd had no choice. But then he'd been so messed up that repayment was the last thing on his mind. There was no way he'd be able to get five grand in a week so running was really his only option. After all, James didn't know he was leaving town and there was no way that he'd be able to find out where he'd be staying because the info was under lock and key.

Jasper decided that he had no choice but to trust the system to do its job. It was really all he could do and it didn't sit right with him. Needing help was something he tried to avoid at all costs.

* * *

Carlisle glanced down at his watch again and Charlie couldn't help but chuckle.

"What?" Carlisle asked absentmindedly.

"Oh nothing. I'm just curious what it is exactly about this kid that has you so…overprotective."

Carlisle looked up from his watch with a soft smile on his face.

"I'm not really sure myself. He just…needs me Charlie. I can feel it. This boy has been through a lifetime of pain and he's only sixteen. I want to show him that the world is not only sorrow, but joy as well. Wow, that sounded really cheesy didn't it…"

Charlie laughed harder this time and patted him on the shoulder.

"Not at all. I just hope, that if things don't go well, you won't take it personally. You can't save everyone Carlisle. No matter how much you want too."

Carlisle was about to respond when he saw the front door open and Jasper appear. Something was wrong. He could see it on the boys face. Thankfully it appeared to be nothing physical but something had definitely happened. Jasper looked like he was trying very hard to conceal fear. Carlisle quickly got out of the car and walked over. Jasper froze briefly as he approached but seemed to recover quickly.

"Jasper, did something happen?"

Jasper stared at him for a long moment before slowly shaking his head.

"No. I told you nothing would. Can we just go now?"

Then without another word the boy walked past him and got back in the car. Carlisle was worried but, again, if Jasper wasn't ready to open up, then he wasn't going to force him. He turned his gaze up toward the house and hoped to God that Jasper never had to set foot in it again.

* * *

A few hours later Jasper had finally drifted back into consciousness. He'd been drifting in and out of sleep ever since leaving the city. After they had gotten his things they had stopped by Renee Charles's office to fill out some more paperwork and then Carlisle had actually asked him if he wanted to stop by and say goodbye to anyone before they left. Jasper had almost burst out laughing at that one. Who the hell would he want to say bye too? James? Victoria? Some of the losers at school? No way in hell. Carlisle had given him that pitying look again before Charlie rushed them out of the place. Apparently he wanted to get to Forks as fast as possible. The drive was so boring that he'd actually fallen asleep. Now as he woke up he found that they were surrounded by green. And it was still raining.

"Oh, are you awake Jasper?"

"Yeah. Where are we?"

Carlisle turned to face him with a huge smile on his face.

"We're only about ten minutes away from home sweet home. I know you're gonna love it Jasper. Just wait and see."

Jasper rolled his eyes and turned to gaze out the window. The rain seemed to make everything more vibrant and alive. It was a wilderness he'd never seen before and it was somehow comforting. A place that was the complete opposite of everything he'd ever known and it was…peaceful. He watched the people walking by in the downpour and for some reason found himself wanting to jump out of the car and join them.

"So, what's your wife's name again?"

"It's Esme. And my sons name is Edward. They are both very excited to meet you."

That was a little mind boggling to him. Why the hell would complete strangers want to meet him? He was nothing special. In fact he was barely ordinary.

"Why the hell do they want to meet me? I'm not exactly the ideal house guest…"

Carlisle stared at him with a penetrating gaze. It was so unsettling that he had to turn away. The doctor had an uncanny ability to make him feel very out of control. It wasn't exactly fun.

"Nonsense Jasper. You are a wonderful person and any human being would be glad to know you."

"Pfft…you read that in a fortune cookie?"

Carlisle just gave him another look and then turned around again. Ooops, maybe he'd just hurt his feelings. Strangely, he felt kinda bad if that was the case.

"Where is the turnoff again?" Mumbled Charlie as his eyes scanned the trees for an opening. Carlisle pointed a little ways down the road.

"It's just up ahead on the left."

The driveway to the Cullen house was a winding road through the trees and when the house finally appeared, Jasper couldn't help but gape at it in astonishment. The Cullen's were fucking loaded.

"You actually live here!? I mean I knew you guys had to have money, what with you being a doctor, but seriously, this is a fucking mansion!"

Carlisle chuckled slightly and turned to him again. "It's not a mansion Jasper. It may not be what you are used to but it is still just a house. And from now on I want you to treat it as your own."

Despite what Carlisle said Jasper still couldn't wrap his mind around what was going on. Barely a week ago he was living in a shit hole, getting beaten by his father, and trying to commit suicide, and now he was living in some doctors mansion? It was like he wasn't in control of anything anymore…

"Jasper?"

He faced Carlisle with dull eyes and tried to force a smile onto his face.

"It's all good doc."

Of course Carlisle didn't believe him when he said that but thankfully the man just let it go. He had to give the doc credit, he knew when to keep his mouth shut.

"Well, shall we go in? Charlie would you like to come in for some coffee? I'm sure Esme would love to see you."

"Sorry Carlisle but I gotta get home. Bells is waiting for me. Rain check okay."

After that Charlie turned to face him. "Now you behave kid. I don't wanna hear about any trouble alright. And if anything…happens, you have both mine and Renee's numbers so don't hesitate to call."

Jasper wondered about that. What could possibly happen way out in the middle of the freaking woods?

"Yeah, sure, whatever…"

Charlie just shook his head and waited for them to exit the car. Jasper grabbed his bag and opened the door. The rain falling on his face was very refreshing and he felt like he could stand there forever. He probably would have if Carlisle hadn't approached and jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Ready to head inside?"

Jasper nodded and looked over toward the front porch. He definitely wasn't afraid but he was a bit concerned about how he would be received by the Cullens. He'd never really been around rich people before and he wasn't exactly mister tactful.

The inside was as grand as the outside and everything seemed to be colored in varying shades of white and cream. It was weird but not overbearing. Somehow it worked and made the place seem homey and warm. The thing that Jasper liked the most however, was the back wall of the house. It was all window. It was almost as if the entire back wall of the place was made of glass. And it looked out over the forest behind the house and it gave Jasper an overwhelming feeling of freedom.

"Well? What do you think?"

"It's…really something doc…"

Carlisle chuckled again as he walked over to stand beside him. "I'm glad you like it. Now how about I introduce you to my family."

Jasper watched as Carlisle went forward to stand at the bottom of the staircase leading up to the second floor.

"Esme! Edward! There's someone here I'd like you to meet!"

Jasper's eyes widened in surprise as the guy bellowed up the stairs. It was actually pretty funny to see. Only a few moments later Jasper could hear two sets of footsteps approaching. Barely a second went by before two people appeared at the top. A woman and a boy who looked to be about his age, maybe a year younger. Jasper couldn't help but think that they definitely suited the doc. The woman was gorgeous, with a heart shaped face and a kind smile…in fact…she kind of reminded him of his own mother. The boy looked to be a bit shorter than himself with short bronze hair and a piercing gaze. He could tell the kid was very perceptive which meant Jasper would have to keep his guard up. The woman came down first with the boy trailing behind. She approached him slowly, almost as if she was afraid to spook him.

"Hello Jasper dear. My name is Esme and I'm so happy to meet you. I really hope you like it here."

Her soft smile made it very hard for him to keep his calm demeanor in place.

"Uh…yeah, nice to meet you too…I guess."

She smiled wider and then pushed her son forward to say hello. The boy, Edward, stood there awkwardly for a moment before sticking his hand out in greeting.

"Hey Jasper. I'm Edward. Nice to meet you."

Jasper just stared at the kids outstretched hand with a bored expression on his face. There was no way he was shaking his hand. He wasn't big on physical contact in general, let alone with some strange kid he'd never met before. Edward seemed to grow even more awkward before slowly dropping his hand. Carlisle seemed to sense the odd atmosphere because he casually interjected.

"Well, now that everyone is acquainted, why don't I have Edward here take your bag and bring it up to your room while I give you a little tour of the place. How does that sound Jasper?"

Despite the fact that Jasper knew Carlisle meant nothing by it, he still started to panic at the thought of someone touching his things. There was no way in hell that he was giving his most important possessions to some stranger. Clutching his bag closer to his arm, Jasper took a step backward, away from all of them, when all of a sudden he hit something. The sound of smashing glass echoed throughout the room and Jasper's face immediately paled. He completely froze, it was almost as if he stepped outside of himself. Only a few minutes in and he'd already done the unthinkable. He just knew that he was really gonna pay for that. He knew the peace wouldn't last…it never did. So he did the only thing he could. He closed his eyes and waited for the hit.


	8. Chapter 8

_This chapter is a lot shorter than my previous ones because it's kinda a filler chapter. But don't worry the next one will be really long and hopefully i'll have it up soon. So stay tuned and once again thanks for all the reviews and follows._

* * *

Henry Whitlock was a proud man. He never expected anything from anyone and he sure as hell didn't want their help. So when a homeless bum named John invited him into the nearest shelter, he immediately started to say no. That was until he realized that he was soaking wet from the rain and was probably close to being hypothermic. There was one person that he blamed for his present circumstances and that honor belonged to his ungrateful son Jasper. Henry was only in this mess because the little bastard had opened his big mouth and spewed lie after lie to garner sympathy from the pathetic do-gooders at the hospital. Because of that he was now on the run and if he was caught, jail was all he had to look forward to.

"So you have any family Hank? Anyone to help ya get back on yer feet?"

Henry turned a fake smile in the mans direction and tried not to stab his fork into the guy's head.

"I got a pathetic waste of life for a son. Does that count?"

The guy looked at him like he was crazy but it didn't matter. He ignored the look and turned back to the mush on his plate. _Be grateful for what you have_. His mothers voice echoed in his head. He chased the thought away, like he did with every thought of her, and shovelled another forkful into his mouth. His anger toward his son grew with every bite. The little bastard had been a pain in the ass since the day he was born. He'd only allowed the brat to come into existence because it had made his wife happy and then when she up and died he'd been left with the useless burden. And now Jasper had not only cost him his freedom, but also a decent meal. After swallowing the last bite he shoved the plate away and glared down at it.

"Hey, don't look so down Hank. The sun's always shining on the other side, ya just got to be patient."

Hank. That's the name he went by now. It was his fathers name and the only one he could make sure to remember. He turned his glare toward the man and was about to give him a taste of reality when he heard a voice he recognized. Hurriedly turning in its direction he saw a man he remembered seeing at the hospital when he'd threatened Jasper. His name was Gordon…or maybe Gareth…something like that anyway. Despite his current circumstances a smile broke out on his face. If this guy knew Jasper, then he probably knew where he was currently staying. Henry would do anything to get that information. Jasper was going to pay for what he did and it looked like he just figured out the first step in accomplishing that goal.

* * *

"Goodnight Garrett and thanks for your help."

"No problem Ben. Anytime you need a volunteer just give me a call."

Garrett waved and watched as his friend headed back into the shelter. He had been helping out there for about two years and it always made him feel like he was making a difference. It was a fulfilling experience. The rain had stopped, for a little while at least, and he was thankful because it meant he wouldn't get drenched walking the two blocks to his car. The street was empty due to the downpour from earlier so it was a quiet, peaceful trek.

He was about halfway to his car when he felt it. That disturbing feeling of being watched. He cast his gaze around but didn't see anything. Figuring he was just feeling jumpy because of what he was going to be doing later that evening, namely proposing to the love of his life, he just continued walking. As he approached the vehicle he felt it again. Someone was watching him. He turned around and searched the alley entrances looking for anyone suspicious. Nobody was there. He shook his head and pulled his keys out of his back pocket then he turned toward his car.

_Bang!_

Something slammed into the back of his head and he was propelled forward into the car. His face hit the window with enough force to crack it and he crumpled to the wet sidewalk in a heap.

_Ugh…_he groaned as his vision swam above him. Suddenly a face appeared. It looked so familiar…

Darkness consumed him and he knew no more.

* * *

"Wakey wakey little nurse…"

A jolt of icy cold pulled him from the darkness and he sucked in a deep breath as his eyes shot open. A flash of light blinded him and pain shot through his head like a knife. He quickly closed them again and tried to understand what was happening.

"Are you awake? Open your damn eyes."

That voice sounded so familiar…He slowly opened his eyelids again and took in his surroundings. He was in a very small room. It looked almost like a storage shed of some kind. There were boxes and tools all over the place and a single light bulb hanging from the wooden ceiling. There was also another chair sitting directly across from the one he was currently tied to.

"Over here."

The voice was coming from his right and when he saw who it was his eyes widened in shock. Wasn't he supposed to be in jail?

"Good evening Mr. Garrett the male nurse. You look like you've had a rough day. Would you like an aspirin for your head. You did take a nasty fall earlier."

Garrett narrowed his eyes. "I'm an orderly you asshole. What the hell do you want?"

Henry Whitlock stepped forward with a wicked glint in his eye.

"I would like for you to tell me the location of my son. If you don't…well…"

Garrett could only watch in horror as the blade revealed itself in the light. The man took another step forward before taking a seat across from him.

"If you don't, I might just have to do to you what I did to him…and I won't be dragging it out over sixteen years…"

Despite the fact that he didn't want to let the bastard win…he was terrified. His night was gonna get a whole lot worse…_I'm so sorry Jasper…_

* * *

_Which bad guy will get to Jasper first? And what will happen to poor Garrett? *Evil laugh*_


	9. Chapter 9

_Here's the next chapter. It's a little shorter than i'd hoped due to some writers block. I know where I wanna go, just having some trouble getting there, so please bear with me. Thank you for all the reviews and follows, they are great motivation. _

* * *

Jasper lay in his new, ridiculously comfortable bed, and stared up at the ceiling. He was trying to fall asleep but it was impossible. He found himself thinking constantly about what had transpired a few hours ago.

"_Jasper are you alright?" Esme ran forward in concern. He opened his eyes in confusion and looked behind him. He'd hit a vase when he'd stepped backward. There was glass all over the floor._

"_What do you mean 'am I alright?' You're not mad?"_

_Carlisle came around and placed a hand gently on his arm and led him away from the glass. Strangely he wasn't bothered by the touch. Carlisle let go and went to stand beside his wife._

"_Of course we're not mad Jasper."_

"_We're just glad your not hurt dear." Said Esme kindly. Even Edward looked concerned. Jasper just shook his head. How was it possible that, out of all the people he could have landed with, he'd ended up with three people exactly like Alice in their naivety. Alice always saw the world in an array of colors, despite her hardships, but he was a realist. There was no way the world was that nice. These weirdo's were the exception._

"_So…you're not going to punish me? I mean, that must of cost a shit ton of money. You're not gonna…hit me or take away my eating privileges, or make me leave and not come back until I've got the cash to pay you back?"_

_With every word he said, Esme's face grew paler and paler and eventually tears started to appear in her eyes. Seeing that nearly broke him in half despite the fact that he knew they were tears of pity. She took a step forward and looked up, directly into his eyes. Jasper found it kind of funny and decided to humor her._

"_Jasper, in my household, physical punishment does not exist. You will always have three meals a day, plus snacks, and there will never be a day where you will not be welcome here. Breaking the vase was an accident and the only important thing here is that you are alright. Do you understand?"_

Jasper clicked his tongue in annoyance and shifted in bed to lay on his side facing the wall covered in books. That was another thing, the room they had given him, was huge. It had a wall full of books, its own bathroom, a queen size bed and one entire wall was made of glass that looked out onto the forest and lake behind the house. The entire place was full of high end furniture, appliances, and it even had a friggin piano. He would bet money that the son, Edward, was the one who played it. He just…seemed the type. The whole place was so overwhelming that he'd forgone the whole, welcome meal, and retreated to his room once they'd stopped looking at him like someone had just kicked a puppy. Even now he was feeling like he just needed to get out for a while and chill. That thought spurred him into action.

Climbing off the bed, he grabbed his bag, which he'd tossed on the floor, and rooted around for a joint. They hadn't checked his stuff for which he was grateful. If the doc found out he was using pot, he'd probably freak out about it. He grabbed it and headed for the window leading toward the backyard. It wasn't bolted shut like the one in his old bedroom so he had no problem getting it open. The hard part would be getting to the ground. With his arm the way it was, scaling a tree was going to be no easy task.

Figuring he would either accomplish his task or fall out of the tree and fuck up his other arm, Jasper went for it. For the first time in a while something went right and, despite a few close calls, he made it safely to the ground. Once there he decided to head toward the lake. The air was cool outside and very refreshing. He immediately felt better than he had inside the strange house. It was rejuvenating. He took a deep breath and then started walking.

It wasn't long before he breached the edge of the trees and the clear serene water stretched out before him. He also saw what looked to be a swing, down by the waters edge. He made his way over and sat down. Moving his legs he managed to get the thing rocking a bit before he lit up. The first inhale was like a breath of fresh air and it really mellowed his nerves. Maneuvering his body slightly, Jasper lay down on the swing and looked up at the just darkening sky. The only sounds he heard were a few animals and the wind blowing gently through the trees. No cars or people…just peace. He took a few more drags before putting the thing out and closing his eyes.

"_Where do I go from here Ali?" _He thought as his mind finally drifted to sleep.

* * *

"Jasper!"

Jolted awake suddenly, Jasper rolled off of something and landed on the cold hard ground in a heap. He lay there for a moment not really knowing what the hell just happened. He cast his eyes around and saw the swing and his foggy mind realized that he must've fallen off the damn thing. With a groan he pushed himself to his feet and tried to stretch out the kinks. He also wondered how long he'd been out. It was still dark out at least. He looked up at the house then and nearly had a panic attack at what he saw. Lots of flashing lights. Cop car lights…and plenty of flashlights as well.

"Oh shit…" He mumbled right before he heard people yelling his name.

"Jasper where are you?!"

"Jasper can you hear me?!"

"Jasper!"

"Shit, shit, shit…" He mumbled again as he ran a hand through his hair in irritation. How long had he been asleep? There was nothing he could really do besides head back, so that's what he did.

The moment he reached the house everyone converged on his location and he was nearly blinded by the flashlights.

"Oh thank god," Esme exclaimed as she ran over and enveloped him in a hug without even thinking about it. Jasper immediately tensed under her touch.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She said, quickly releasing him, "I was just so relived you're alright."

He took a step backward and frowned. "What the hell is going on? I mean seriously, I just fell asleep down by the lake. I don't think that warrants the freaking Forks search and rescue."

"Jasper, you have been gone all day." Carlisle said as he came to stand in front of him. His eyes widened in shock. He'd slept that long?! No wonder they were freaking out. They'd be in deep shit if their foster kid went missing after the first day. A second later Edward, as well as some strange, but beautiful, blond girl came running over.

"Hey, I heard you found him. Where was he?" Edward asked his father in an annoyed voice. Clearly Eddie didn't like the disruption.

"He was down by the lake getting some much needed sleep." Carlisle said as he looked over at him. Apparently the doc liked what he saw because a look of relief crossed his face. Edward just looked even more irritated. But before he could voice it the blond walked over. She stopped right in front of him and took in his appearance. Jasper didn't really know what to make of her. And then she proceeded to slap him across the face. Everyone around them stood there frozen in shock.

"What the hell?!" He cried out angrily. She just stared at him with a blank expression for a moment before the yelling started.

"What do you mean 'what the hell'?! You're not even here more than a few hours and you're already making them worried sick! Just because you have issues, doesn't mean you can do whatever the hell you want to without telling anyone! The next time you treat them this way I'm gonna come over here and kick your ass!"

Nobody said a word after the outburst. They were all just stunned. For a moment Jasper wasn't sure how to react. And then he just burst out laughing. He found her to be hysterical. For the first time since the whole thing started he'd finally met someone who spoke his language. For the first time he was meeting someone who didn't treat him like a broken doll. It was rejuvenating. As he laughed he could see her looking at him like he was crazy. Everyone else was too. Carlisle and Esme were looking at him in concern and it only made him laugh harder.

* * *

Carlisle was unsure how to proceed. When Jasper started laughing after being slapped he thought the boy had finally completely broke. Rosalie Hale had always been unpredictable but he had never expected her to react like that. She didn't know about the abuse Jasper suffered and to use violence to get her point across, well, he just never expected Jasper to laugh about it.

When they had gone to bed the previous night, Jasper's door had been closed and they hadn't wanted to disturb him. They had assumed that he was sleeping. But when Esme had gone to check on him the following afternoon and discovered he was gone, Carlisle hadn't known what to think. Had Jasper run off? Had the boys father found them and taken him away? The fear he had felt in that moment was overwhelming. His first call had been to Charlie and the chief had immediately come to help. To find out that he'd been by the lake the entire time, he felt so much relief. And to see that Jasper had at least gotten some rest made him a little less angry that the boy had left without telling anyone. But now he had to deal with this new problem. He was just about to walk over and try to talk to him when the laughing just stopped. Jasper took a deep breath and held his hand out to Rosalie.

"The name's Jasper. Thanks for the slap by the way, it was pretty helpful."

Rosalie looked at him like he was insane but then she smiled.

"Anytime Jasper. And the name's Rosalie, Rosalie Hale." She grasped his hand and shook it. Carlisle was surprised, but in a good way. Jasper seemed to like Rosalie and that was definitely progress.

"Hey Carlisle! I heard you found him!" Charlie yelled as he started walking toward them. His daughter Bella was beside him. She was a kind girl and he was grateful for the fact that Edward had found someone like her to care for. The two of them had been dating for the past two months and he had never seen his son so happy.

"Yes Charlie. Apparently he was down by the lake. I'm sorry for all the fuss."

Charlie scowled and strode over to Jasper who was now smiling.

"What are you smiling about kid? You know how much trouble you caused everyone? What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Charlie calm down."

"No Carlisle. This kid has had a shitty attitude this entire time. And now he thinks he can just up and vanish whenever he damn well pleases. This has to stop."

* * *

He knew he was only making things worse but he just could not stop smiling. Jasper was enjoying the way Charlie was fuming at him. The man didn't scare him. In fact…none of them did. These people were not violent. Jasper new violent people. He was a violent person. It was like a light bulb moment for him. When Rosalie had slapped him it hadn't hurt, not even a little, and he realized that all of these people were different. They had been worried…worried about him. About where he was. His father had never cared. Jasper would be gone for days at a time and no one would come looking. But these people searched after only a few hours. It was pathetic and gullible and ridiculous but…it reminded him of a time he'd forgotten. A time when he actually had people who cared. He found himself wondering how they could all be like that. How they could care about someone so fast. He didn't feel the same for them. He wouldn't search for them if they went missing, he probably wouldn't even care. They didn't know that though and he figured they would probably feel the same way even if they did.

"Jasper."

Jasper turned his smiling face toward Carlisle who was watching him intently.

"What is it Jasper?"

"I just realized something that's all. Are we done here?"

"What?! You think you can cause trouble like this and just get away with it?!"

"Charlie please, let me handle this."

Charlie just shook his head. "Fine Carlisle, do whatever you want. Bella, we're going home."

Bella nodded silently, smiled at Edward, and then followed her father as he rounded up the other cops and left the area. Once he was gone Jasper let the smile fade. Even he had had enough of it.

"Edward, would you mind escorting Rosalie home. Your mother and I would like to have a word with Jasper."

"Sure dad. Come on Rose."

Edward started walking back toward the front of the house without waiting. Apparently he'd really managed to piss the kid off. He found it pretty funny. Tormenting Edward was going to be fun.

"Well, you're an interesting guy Jasper. See ya around."

"Later Rosalie."

She smiled and then headed off after Edward. Once they were gone he turned to face Carlisle and Esme. He wondered how they were going to punish him.

"Jasper dear, why did you sneak out in the first place?"

She looked at him with those damn kind eyes again and he found himself unable to lie.

"I just…needed to get out."

They both looked very confused. "Get out?"

"Of the house. Look, I grew up in a shit hole ok. Being here, in this freaking mansion…it's weird. I just…needed some fresh air or something. And I don't really see what the big deal is anyway. I mean I used to be gone for days and dad didn't give a shit. It's not easy giving that up."

Carlisle took his wife's hand and smiled at him.

"We understand Jasper. You just got here so it will take some time to adjust. But the next time you need some space, or you feel the need to get out for a while, just let us know. As for the rest of the rules of the house, we'll go over them tomorrow. How does that sound?"

Jasper couldn't really argue so he just agreed. At any rate, it seemed to make them happy, and apparently that actually meant something to him now.

"Good. Now, why don't we go inside. I'm sure you're hungry after not eating all day."

And just like that they led him back into the house like what had happened was no big deal. Jasper found himself wondering what it would take to piss them off. A part of him wanted to find out…just so he would know how bad it could get. So he could be prepared.


	10. Chapter 10

_Sorry for the delay but here's the next chapter. Hope you guys like it._

* * *

Garrett didn't know how long he'd been in the room now but it felt like days. The bastard had left again but he'd be back soon. So far he'd only been burned with cigarettes, and while being very painful, it was bearable. The part of it that bothered him the most was the fact that the man had done the same thing to his own son. Henry Whitlock was a true psychopath. He looked around and still had no idea where he was being held. It was for storage obviously but, beyond that, it was just an average room. He tried moving his wrists again but the ropes still didn't give. As he sat there, alone and in pain, he couldn't help but think about his Kate. He wondered what she'd felt and done when he hadn't shown up. If she thought he'd just taken off…he'd done it before after all. Or maybe she sensed something was wrong and called the police…maybe they were searching for him that very moment. He wanted to see her so badly…

"Good evening."

Garrett's hands clenched into fists behind his back as the bastard opened the door and came inside.

"Let me go you son of a bitch!"

Henry just stared at him with a dull expression…and then he pulled the knife.

"I've told you so many times, just tell me where he is. Tell me and I'll let you go."

"And I've told you no, I won't tell you where the kid is so you subject him to more of this insanity!"

Henry smiled and came closer. "This is becoming tedious…torturing you just doesn't…feel the same…"

_Feel the same?_ Thought Garrett as he watched the man suddenly stare off in to space. In just the short amount of time they'd been together, Henry's personality seemed to fluctuate. One minute he was coherent and sharp, then the next he was angry and would ramble on about nonsense. It was hard to keep track. And the thought that the man had enjoyed torturing his own son made him want to protect Jasper even more. This whole thing also explained exactly why the kid was the way he was. In fact Garrett was surprised that Jasper was as sane as he was. Anyone else probably would have snapped long before Jasper had.

"Why do you hate him so much?" He needed to know why a grown man would despise his own son as much as Henry did.

Henry focused on him once again. "Why do I hate Jasper?"

"Yes. Why do you want to hurt him?"

"Oh, I want to hurt him for so many reasons…he took everything from me. The little bastard ruined my life! He took my happiness and so he has to pay the price. And I will make sure he continues to pay, for the rest of his life. I won't allow that sorry, worthless, piece of crap to have a single moment of happiness!"

_Slice!_

"Argh…!" Garrett screamed as the knife cut into the flesh of his arm. Henry had stabbed him, actually stabbed him. The blood started to run down his arm and drip onto the dirty floor.

"Tell me where he is!"

Garrett shook his head vigorously as the smell of alcohol wafted over him. Henry reeked of it and he couldn't help but wonder if the man was ever sober…or if he would be the same way if he was.

The man's eyes narrowed in cold anger and for the first time, Garrett wondered if he would make it out of this alive.

* * *

Almost a week had past now and Carlisle was really starting to worry. Jasper had not been making as much progress as he'd thought he would. After that night with the police, the boy had conformed to the rules without a fight. But that was because he didn't do anything that would break them in the first place. He stayed in his room for most of the day, only coming out to use the bathroom or grab his food at meal times. It wasn't healthy despite the fact that he was still healing, and considering Carlisle's vacation was almost up and he would be returning to work, effectively leaving Jasper alone with Esme and Edward, he wanted the three of them to get to know each other. Esme tried to get him to come out of the room but Jasper always politely declined. Edward, being in school during the day, was unable to help much either. It was very frustrating.

"Don't worry dear. Jasper will come out when he is ready. Fussing over him like that will only make things worse."

He nodded halfheartedly and put down his newspaper.

"I just worry how he will react when I go back to the city tomorrow."

"Why? Do you think he will be upset?"

"No…not upset. He does trust me somewhat but I doubt he'll miss me or anything. I just think that he is used to me and will feel isolated when I do go."

Esme walked over and joined him at the kitchen table. "I've told you before, you worry to much Carlisle. He just needs time to adjust. This is a huge change for him and anyone would feel uncomfortable at first."

His wife was right of course but…it didn't stop him from worrying. Esme placed her hand over his and smiled gently at him. "Maybe we could try dinner again tonight. Edward can invite Bella and maybe the three of them can get to know each other a little. If he's around more people his own age maybe he'll feel more at ease."

Carlisle wasn't so sure about that but it was worth a try. He was willing to try anything at this point. "Alright sweetheart, we'll give it a shot. I have to head into town later anyway, so write down anything you'll need for supper and I'll pick it up."

Esme smiled widely, patted his hand, and then stood up and headed for the pantry. It was nice seeing her trying so hard to connect with Jasper. Not having a mother figure in his life must have been tough and having someone like her around might help ease the pain a little. Carlisle knew that no one could replace Jasper's mother but, maybe, she could be someone he could rely on.

Another issue that he'd been concerned over was Jasper's enrollment in school. Jasper's wounds were healed enough that school was now a priority. The boy was scheduled to start the following Monday and Carlisle couldn't help but wonder how Jasper would react. Looking at previous transcripts, he had found out that Jasper was a very bright young man. He got excellent grades…it was just his attitude that caused problems. Jasper had been written up numerous times for getting into fights with other students and Carlisle worried it would continue at the new school.

He sighed in frustration and stood up from the table. He figured he'd give his wife some room to work so he decided to head out to do some yard work. It had been a while since the weather was nice enough to be outside and he didn't want to waste the opportunity, plus it would give him some time to clear his head. This was just another little speed bump in making a better life for Jasper.

* * *

Staring up at the ceiling seemed to be his new favorite pastime. Jasper sighed and pushed himself into a sitting position. He was starting to go stir crazy. Of course it was his own choice to stay locked away, but it didn't mean he liked it. It was one of the tests he'd come up with for the Cullen family. He wanted to see how they would react to him isolating himself. He was trying to push them in order to get a feel for how they reacted under duress. So far Edward didn't seem to care, which was very refreshing. Esme was worried, he could tell, but she seemed to be trying to let him decide on his own to come down. He wasn't yet sure how he felt about that. As for Carlisle, he could tell the doctor was feeling concerned. Carlisle was a compassionate fool in Jasper's opinion but he found himself starting to feel bad about making them feel bad. It was annoying him immensely.

He also had a lovely first day at a new school to look forward to in a few days. He wondered if the kids here were as big of idiots as those back at his old school. Small town meant fewer students, which meant more eyes on him. He was definitely going to have to stock up on long sleeved shirts. His eyes were drawn down to the scars. The suicide scars were only the tip of the iceberg.

His finger slowly ran along one of the worst ones. It had been about a month after his mother had died and his dad had been exceptionally drunk. Henry had taken a knife and carved it down his arm in a jagged line. It was painful and it had bled a ridiculous amount. Thankfully Henry had snapped out of it enough to realize the danger he was in and took him to the hospital saying he had accidentally done it himself. Sadly the doctor had believed his father. Kids did stupid things after all.

_Clink clink clink_

The strange sound dragged his mind from his dark thoughts. It was coming from outside the window. Curiosity moved him from the bed to see what it was. Looking down he saw that Carlisle was outside doing some yard work. As soon as he saw him Jasper burst out laughing. An honest to God, happy, laugh. The man was wearing the most ridiculous outfit Jasper had ever seen. He wore a wide brimmed hat covered in flowers and a pair of jean suspenders, and to top it all off he was wearing a pair of yellow rain boots. It was hilarious.

_Knock knock_

_Shit,_ he thought as he immediately cut off the laughter. Whoever was outside the door had probably heard him and came to see if he'd finally lost it.

"Jasper? Jasper dear, can I come in?"

It was Esme. Taking a deep breath Jasper made his way over to the door and opened it. She was standing out there smiling at him. Did the woman ever stop smiling?

"Hello dear. I heard you laughing. Is everything alright?"

_Clink clink_

Her eyes widened in realization when she heard the noise and she too started laughing. "I see now. He does look rather goofy in that outfit doesn't he."

The way she said that, voice filled with so much love, made Jasper a bit uncomfortable. "Yeah…"

Esme smiled over at him. "Can you believe that Edward picked that hat out for him."

Despite his best efforts, Jasper's eyes widened in shock. Esme laughed at his expression. "Oh yes. I had given him free reign one father's day when he was six. That was what he picked out. Carlisle wears it every time he goes out to garden. The overalls and boots made Edward laugh so the outfit became a bit of a staple in his wardrobe."

"Wow…" Jasper could not believe the strangeness of the family reached as far as their wardrobe. Then he remembered that Esme was still standing there. "Uh…was there something you wanted?"

"Oh! Yes, of course. I wanted to let you know that we're having a farewell supper for Carlisle tonight and we'd like for you to join us. Edward and his girlfriend Bella will be there too. What do you think?"

Dinner with the Cullens. It would be his first one. Thinking back on the past week he realized that he was acting like a child. Hiding away in a bedroom. Since when did he become such a god damn coward. His name was Jasper Whitlock and he was not a broken kid. Time to suck it up.

"Sure I guess."

Esme's face lit up like a Christmas tree. He was kind of glad that he could make her smile. It was a weird feeling. "Really?! Oh, I'm so glad. Is there anything special you would like to eat?"

He couldn't believe that she was asking him. Usually his supper had consisted of frozen dinners. "No."

"Alright then. We'll be eating around six so I'll call you then okay." She nodded happily and then turned to leave. Jasper watched her go with a bemused expression on his face. Esme was an interesting person.

She was like Carlisle in a lot of ways. She also reminded him of…his own mother.

Maria Whitlock had been a troubled woman but she had loved her son…and her husband. Maria had been the type of person that never caught a break in life. She was an alcoholic and a drug addict but despite these things she was always there when Jasper needed her. She took him to school everyday, cooked him meals, listened to him with kind eyes. She loved him and he could feel it in every look, every smile, and every touch. His mom had been his whole world. He missed her everyday. He knew though, if the cancer hadn't of gotten her, the substance abuse would have eventually. He was thankful for one thing though. He was thankful that she had gone quickly. She had been diagnosed and then about a month later she was gone. She had escaped. Sometimes he wished that she had taken him with her.

Shaking himself out of the memories, Jasper closed the door and went back to the window. He saw that Carlisle was still out there and without noticing it, a smile flitted across his lips…and it stayed there for quite a while.

* * *

_Please review. Love hearing what everyone thinks of this._


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey guys, sorry for the delay. Had no internet connection due to moving, but i'm back now so enjoy the next chapter. _

* * *

Awkward. If Jasper wanted to describe dinner that night, awkward, would be the word to use. Esme had called him downstairs at 6:22pm and he was greeted happily by the whole clan, including Edward's girlfriend Bella. Jasper vaguely remembered her from the night with the cops but that was about it. Everyone seemed pleased that he had decided to join them and even Edward appeared to be in a better mood, but he knew that that was because Bella was there. At first things had been going fairly well. The food was good, the conversation was fluid and no one pressured him into talking. He was satisfied with just sitting there and watching them be a family. It wasn't to bad. But then Bella accidentally spilled her soup on his arm.

"Ahh!" He yelled at the sheer unexpectedness of it.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?!" Bella cried out as she jumped out of her chair and started frantically trying to clean up the mess.

Truthfully the pain of it wasn't even that bad, he'd had worse after all, but out of instinct Jasper rolled his sleeve up to alleviate some of the burn. Unfortunately, it revealed the scars and as fast as Bella's panic had started, it vanished, to be replaced with shock and disbelief.

"Jasper…what happened to you?"

He turned a heated glare in her direction. "How is that any of your business?"

Bella flinched and looked down. Thankfully Carlisle stepped in to stop things from getting worse.

"Alright that's enough. Jasper, come with me and I'll take a look at your arm."

"It's fine."

"Jasper."

Not wanting to deal with the awkward stares, Jasper got up and prepared to follow Carlisle into the kitchen, but then someone grabbed his arm. He stopped and turned to see Bella. He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to speak.

"I'm sorry for spilling my soup on you and for prying, I didn't mean to upset you."

Jasper was a little stunned. She actually looked sorry. "Uh…sure, whatever." He pulled his arm free, frowned at her and then followed after Carlisle who was waiting in the doorway.

So yeah, really awkward dinner.

* * *

"Did you get burned at all?" Asked Carlisle as he filled a bowl full of cool water. Jasper looked down at his arm and shrugged when he saw a slight red mark there.

"I'll take that as a yes." Carlisle said softly as he walked over with the bowl and a washcloth. Jasper remained silent as he took a seat and held out his arm.

"Bella did not mean anything by asking about your scars. She is just a kind hearted girl and was concerned. I'm sorry you were hurt Jasper."

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."

Carlisle just smiled sadly and placed the cool cloth on his arm. It was odd…seeing the doc look so disheartened. It really messed with his head. "Seriously doc…it's not a big deal. I really am fine."

"It is not alright Jasper. I swore to you that you would not be harmed while under my roof. This is the opposite of what I wanted for you. I hope you can forgive me."

Jasper was completely dumbfounded. He knew Carlisle was a total sap but the fact that he was acting like it was the end of the world because he got a little burn on his arm…it was mind blowing. It basically cemented the fact that the Cullens were different. He'd known that was the case before but…this time he believed it.

"…fine, I forgive you. Can we move on now?"

Carlisle looked up at him in surprise and his smile turned into a more hopeful one. It was ridiculous how even something like half hearted forgiveness could get the guy in such high spirits but Jasper was starting to get used to it.

"Thank you Jasper. I promise you this won't happen again so…Jasper?"

Involuntarily his hand had clenched into a fist and he glared down at the cloth on his arm. "Don't promise that."

"Jasper?"

Looking up, Jasper locked eyes with Carlisle and held his gaze. "Don't promise something that you can't deliver doc. Shit happens after all."

Carlisle stared at him but then sighed. "You're right…I'm sorry Jasper."

"That's another thing doc, you apologize to much. They don't really mean much to me anymore so I'd appreciate it if you'd cut it out okay. Just…I don't know…relax."

Seeing Carlisle's eyes widen in shock, Jasper took that as his cue to leave. To much emotional crap going on. He stood up, taking the cloth with him, grabbed a bread roll from the counter and started to head back up to his room. He'd had enough family time for one night. When he reached the exit he stopped and turned around to face Carlisle again.

"Oh, and doc?"

"Y-yes Jasper?"

"Thanks…I guess."

Jasper almost laughed out loud when Carlisle's eyes widened even further and his mouth dropped open. He gave a half assed salute with his bread roll and then headed back upstairs, trusting Carlisle to take care of the rest.

* * *

Carlisle sat there for a while after Jasper left in utter disbelief. Had the boy really just thanked him? And it wasn't just that either. Jasper had actually looked genuinely amused by the entire situation. At first he had thought the soup incident would have the opposite effect on the boy but it seemed that it had caused a change in him. It appeared to be one for the better. Carlisle smiled softly at this realization and then headed back out into the dining room.

When he re-entered the room everyone immediately turned to face him. They all looked very concerned, especially Bella.

"Carlisle?"

"He's fine Esme. He went back up to his room."

Esme looked relieved but Bella looked even more distressed. Carlisle walked over and took a seat beside her in Jasper's vacated chair.

"It's alright Bella. Jasper is not angry with you. He knows it was an accident."

"Really?"

"Yes really. He's just tired and needs some space."

She looked immensely relieved but Carlisle could tell something was still on her mind. He also knew what it was.

"I know that you are curious about his scars Bella…but I think it would be best if you didn't mention them again. Jasper is a very private person."

She nodded slowly and looked over at him with a smile. "I understand Dr. Cullen."

"Dad?"

Edward's voice was very quiet and when Carlisle faced his son he saw that he was staring down at his hands with a frown on his face.

"What's wrong Edward?"

Edward looked up at him with very serious eyes and Carlisle became worried.

"Dad…did Jasper try to…kill himself?"

The whole room grew very quiet. Carlisle had told Edward only that Jasper had come to them from a rough background and that he had been abused. He hadn't mentioned details and he certainly hadn't told his son that Jasper had attempted suicide. Edward must have seen the scars and realized what they meant. He looked to Esme and she nodded to him slowly. Carlisle sighed and decided it wouldn't be fair to hide it now. It was best to inform them so that they did not pester Jasper with questions.

"Edward, and Bella too, I would like you both to listen to me very carefully." He started slowly and made sure that they were both watching him with their complete attention.

"Sometimes a person has such a hard time in life that they feel they have no other option but to escape anyway they can. Sometimes that means alcohol or drugs and sometimes…that means they give up completely and try and take their own life."

He stopped for a moment to gauge their reactions. Edward was sitting there listening carefully and Bella was starting to look very upset. "Bella, would you like me to stop?"

"No. I'm okay."

Carlisle watched her for a moment longer before deciding to continue. "Very well. Jasper has had a very rough life. He has gone through things that no person should have to go through, and he had finally reached his limit. So yes Edward, Jasper tried to take his own life."

Edward took in the information in silence. Carlisle knew that his son tended to be a deep thinker and he also knew that Edward would come to his own conclusion about what to do.

"Dr Cullen…does Jasper still feel that way?"

"I don't know Bella. That is why I brought him here, to try and give him a reason to stay."

Everyone remained silent for a while, almost as if giving the intense conversation the respect it deserved, before Esme was the first to break it.

"Carlisle dear, would you please help me bring in the dessert."

As soon as she said it the atmosphere immediately shifted toward the positive.

"I'll help you Mrs. Cullen." Said Bella, seemingly glad for the change of subject.

"Oh, thank you dear. You're going to love the parfait I made, it's a new recipe I found online."

Carlisle watched them leave the room with a smile and then turned his attention to Edward. "Edward, are you alright?"

"Yeah. I just…feel bad."

"Why?"

"Well…I haven't really been that…welcoming…I guess."

He couldn't help but feel proud that his son was trying to improve the way he related to Jasper. He knew that the two of them would get along if they gave each other a chance.

"There is still plenty of time for the two of you to get to know each other Edward. I'm sure it was easier for him to get used to things around here without all of us hanging around him the entire time anyway. Maybe, now that he has had some time to adjust, you could try and see if he wants to go out with you and your friends sometime."

Edward nodded, seriously considering the idea, when the girls came back into the room. Esme's dessert looked delicious and he knew that as soon as she served them she would bring some up to Jasper. And he loved her all the more for it.

* * *

As soon as he got back to his room Jasper walked straight into the bathroom. He removed his shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. He had never really considered himself to be anything special in the looks department, although Alice would beg to differ. Smiling at the thought, he took in his pale complexion, slim, but athletic, frame and…the scars. He had never really been ashamed of them exactly…more like, he was tired of the reminders they were. The long sleeved shirts were a way to forget and they were also so he wouldn't get pestered with questions like the one Bella had asked.

The only one, other than him, that had ever seen all of them was Alice. She always told him that they were a sign of how strong he was and they weren't who he was but what he had survived. Looking at them now…he felt like…she may have been right. They were a story, his story, and they proved that he was a survivor. He turned slightly and took in the ones on his back. Out of his entire body they were the worst. The jagged marks crisscrossed across the entire surface of flesh. Up until the suicide attempt, what had caused them had been the closest he'd ever been to death. Henry had been drunk of course, they'd fought, and he'd been shoved through the glass window in the back door of the house. The pain had been excruciating as the shards of glass had pierced his skin. He'd almost bled out right there in the backyard…

"Tch…" He mumbled as he faced forward again. He lifted his arms and looked down at his wrists. They were healed now, just faint scars added to the collection. It was strange…seeing them now…it felt like they'd always been there.

With a sigh, he left the bathroom and wandered over to his backpack which was still in its place on the floor under the bed. He pulled it out and opened it. Despite the fact that he'd already been at the Cullen house for a week, he still hadn't unpacked anything. Maybe it was time. Jasper pulled out Alice's stuffed rabbit and set it on the bedside table so that it was sitting up against the bottom of the lamp. It's head was tilted slightly to the left and as he looked down at it he couldn't help but remember the way Alice used to do the same thing when she was trying to figure out her math homework. A small pain filled laugh escaped him and he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Jesus…when the hell did I become such a god damn baby…"

Angrily swiping them away he re-zipped the bag and shoved it back under the bed. One thing at a time was good enough. It was progress anyway. He pulled on another shirt and then flopped down onto the bed. He turned so that he was facing away from the rabbit and closed his eyes. It would be the first time in weeks that he wouldn't have the nightmares. Progress indeed.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, hope you guys liked it. The next chapter will pick up slightly with Jasper's first day at school and the rest of the gang will be making appearances. Also, Carlisle will find out that Garrett is missing._


End file.
